Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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A new survey is fueling debate over who holds influence in American politics, with researcher Scott Rasmussen arguing that the country's most politically influential "elite 1%" differs sharply from the broader public in both ideology and views of government.

Speaking with The National News Desk, Rasmussen, president of RMG Research and author of Out of Touch: The Elite 1% and the Battle for America's Soul, said the term "elite" can mean different things depending on the context.
"There are elite athletes. There are elite musicians. That's a positive thing," Rasmussen said. "There is a financial elite. But in political terms, it is these people with a postgraduate degree who live in a densely populated urban area."

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