Whether to completely ban abortion ranked fourth in impact for independents and third for Democrats (77 percent and 87 percent against) while coming in at 13th for Republicans (65 percent against).

In fifth place for independents was building a wall on the Mexican border — another issue important to all groups. Republicans want it (81 percent for), Democrats don’t (86 percent against), and independents are in between, but significantly opposed (64 percent against). Rounding out the top 10 high-impact issues for independents were debt-free state college, a $15 minimum wage, legalizing marijuana, conducting universal background checks before gun purchases, and banning assault rifles. These are also relatively important issues for partisans.

Like partisans, independents reveal that they will sacrifice other things to get what they want on their high-impact issues. They will give up preferred outcomes on things like the Green New Deal (their 36th-most important issue), even though 63 percent of independents like this idea.

‘Are there things we all agree on?’

There are things on which Democrats, Republicans and independents agree, but most are relatively low priority for all three groups, which may explain some legislative gridlock.

For example, each group supports requiring companies to give 12 weeks of paid maternity leave to employees (84 percent of independents, 90 percent of Democrats and 66 percent of Republicans). But it is the 22nd-most important issue for independents and the 19th and 29th for Democrats and Republicans. Even though people agree that this should be the law, they care more about other things on which there is far less agreement in the population.