The series of questions reveals that majorities of
Democrats oppose all surveillance methods except video surveillance of
public places, while independents align with Democrats on this series
of questions on all issues except random searches of purses, handbags,
backpacks and other packages, where a narrow majority of independents
are in favor. In all cases, however, independents track closer to
Democratic percentages than the more stridently favorable views of
Republicans. A majority of GOP voters, meanwhile, favor all types of
searches, with the exception of random mail searches—but even on this
least popular anti-terror measure, a narrow plurality of Republicans
backs the measure.