Perhaps there was a time when people could agree to disagree about differences in political viewpoints, but it seems that, on at least one site, those days are in the past. According to data from the website OkCupid, people who use that site increasingly use politics as a signal to decide whether to pursue potential partners.For example, they may make choices about whether to go on dates based on who a person voted for in the last election. Many users also get offended if individuals on the dating site did not vote at all. This trend is particularly popular with the millennial generation.As it turns out, people may be more concerned with a partner’s political choices than sexual compatibility. That may come as a surprise to many people, but it’s something that emphasizes how numerous individuals believe that political leanings could have far-reaching consequences for an entire country instead of just a relationship. They may feel that political differences are simply too hard to overcome. 

People Also Want to Know About Candidates’ Dating Preferences

Something else that has become apparent in the months leading up to the 2020 presidential election in the United States is that people want to know about the candidates’ romantic lives. One buzzworthy, recent topic is whether Cory Booker, who intends to run in the Democratic race, is romantically involved. The combination of speculation and public events indicate he may be dating actress Rosario Dawson.Of course, people have shown curiosity about the private lives of famous people before. However, one aspect that changed over the past several years, though, is the increase in social media usage. Now, tech-savvy individuals can log onto their favorite sites and contribute to gossip about girlfriends, boyfriends, alleged affairs, breakups, and more, all in a matter of minutes.And, news outlets know that stories related to the romantic relationships of famous people get high levels of traffic. Until that changes, people will likely to see these topics continue to dominate the headlines.

What If Your Political Preferences Don’t Match a Partner’s?

With these things in mind, should people automatically assume it’s not worth pursuing people who don’t agree with their political views? Not necessarily. If you’re engaged in online dating or meeting someone who may have views that are different than yours, you may decide not to bring up any political topics until the relationship deepens a bit.The internet makes it simple and straightforward to get relationship advice at any time of the day or night. Going to those sites could give you confidence and help you learn how to succeed during a date. But, it’s still best to test the waters and use common sense. For example, if the person you’re dating voted for Donald Trump and you don’t agree with the president’s actions at all, let the individual get to know you beyond politics.Also, while flirting with the person, you may do or say things that indicate you’re willing to give some leeway regarding political differences. That could be accomplished if you joke or otherwise talk about politics in a lighthearted way.In most cases, you shouldn’t wait until the relationship gets serious before disclosing political-related information about yourself. Doing that could trigger an unnecessary fight. However, you may conclude that the most appropriate thing to do is not go out of your way to promote political beliefs on an online dating site or while going on an in-person date.That doesn’t mean you have to conceal who you are as a person, such as if politics is one of your passions. But, you may decide there’s no use in going out of your way to promote political beliefs that could be a turn-off before the individual sees you as a complex, whole, and valuable person.Dating is tricky, and politics could exacerbate that fact. However, the information here should help you take dating and politics in stride.