Pope Francis’s death has sparked largely positive feelings among US adults, with 53% describing him as either a very good pope or one of the best. This is significantly higher than the 15% who viewed his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, positively in 2013. Catholics are more optimistic about Francis’s legacy, with 67% calling him very good or one of the best.
American views on Francis vary by political ideology, with 78% of liberals viewing him favorably and just 34% of conservatives doing so. However, among conservative Americans, more say Francis is one of the worst popes than one of the best. Interestingly, this divide does not exist for Benedict XVI.
Non-Catholics who identify as very conservative are less likely to view Francis positively (38%) compared to conservative Catholics (25%). When asked about the next pope, 57% of Americans believe it doesn’t matter where they come from, while 36% prefer a reformer and 22% a traditionalist. The majority of US adults also say it’s not essential for the new pope to be from their country or region.
The survey was conducted online on April 21, 2025, among 3,814 US adults with a weighted sample representing various demographic groups.
Source: https://today.yougov.com/society/articles/52048-what-americans-think-about-the-late-pope-francis