Is Santa Claus a Democrat or a Republican? These Poll Results May Surprise You

Credit: AP

Is Santa Claus a Democrat -- or a Republican?

While some would contend that his penchant for providing gifts and "spreading the wealth" (i.e. holiday cheer) indicates that he's left-of-center, others might point to the fact that he provides gifts to the world's children without government "investments" and is, thus, more conservative in nature. To get to the bottom of this not-so-pressing question, Public Opinion Polling asked Americans which political party they believe Santa belongs to.

Forty-four percent of respondents believe that he is a Democrat; on the flip side, 28 percent contend that Santa is a Republican. An additional 28 percent are not sure which political affiliation Santa would opt for. With that in mind, PPP also sought to poll other issues in its annual holiday poll. For example, with the fiscal cliff approaching, Americans aren't only worried about the impact on their own wallets -- they're also fearing for Santa's well being.

More than five in 10 respondents (54 percent) said that they worry that he won't be able to give as much as he has in the past and that the cliff could force Santa to cut back on his benefits. Of course, the vast majority believe that they are on Santa's "nice" list (80 percent), with only a small proportion admitting that they've probably earned themselves a spot on the "naughty" list (11 percent).

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And what about crimes and moral infractions committed by Santa? PPP asked questions about those as well. Interestingly, Americans seem to have an oddly-strong devotion to the Christmas mascot. While 43 percent said they would tell their daddies if they saw their mothers kissing Santa, 40 percent claimed that they wouldn't (and an additional 17 percent were conflicted).

If Santa's reindeer ran grandma over, bizarrely, the vast majority would protect him, with a whopping 61 percent claiming that they would refrain from pressing charges (only 24 percent would seek legal ramifications for Santa and his sleigh). Interestingly, Democrats (33 percent) are more likely than Republicans (19 percent) to say that they would press charges.

As for the War on Christmas, despite a media narrative that it is non-existent, 47 percent of respondents believe that it exists, with 40 percent denying that it is happening. Read the full results here.