Go ahead and talk politics on a first date

(MaryLB/iStock)

On a first date, would you talk about Hillary Clinton’s private email server or Donald Trump’s feud with Megyn Kelly? During an election season, politics are bound to come up — and that’s a good thing.
A hearty discussion on any political issue could increase your chances of getting a second date by 91 percent, according a new Match survey of more than 5,000 American singles from around the country, ages 18 to over 70.

Would you talk politics on a first date? Polling data says it could increase your chances of seeing your date a second time. (Match’s study of Singles in America)

The study found that 79 percent of singles don’t have a problem dating someone from a different political party; only 6 percent of those polled felt it  necessary that their partner have the same political beliefs.
The study also found that, regardless of party affiliation, singles who are passionate about politics are more likely to have better sex (defined by more orgasms and more instances of multiple orgasms). Helen Fisher, Match.com’s scientific adviser, says that connection is “not at all a surprise,” because passion often bleeds from one part of life into another.
“The kind of person who’s going to be very passionate in any sector that interests them,” Fisher said, “they’re going to be passionate in any other sector.”
When it comes to political conversation, singles are more likely to talk about issues they’re in favor of or topics where they’re pleased with the status quo. For example, Democrats are more likely to discuss their views on marriage and gay rights, the survey found, and don’t want to talk about gun control. While Republicans generally want to avoid talking about marriage, gay rights or marijuana legalization, and are happy to chat about religion or gun control.
Republicans are also more apt to go to an expensive restaurant on a first date. Fisher thinks this is because Republicans are more fiscally oriented and Democrats more socially minded.
Republicans “want to know that this person has some money, and they want to know how this person spends their money,” Fisher said. “They tend to be more old-fashioned, too. More Republican women want the man to pay and want to know whether the man can pay.”
On the other side of the aisle, Fisher said a Democrat on a first date at a fancy restaurant might wonder: “Why aren’t you saving your money for social causes?”

Match’s annual Singles in America survey compared the love lives of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump supporters. (Match)

Beyond looking at party-line differences, the Match study compared single Hillary Clinton supporters to those who support Trump — and found some interesting contrasts. Trump supporters, for instance, are about 1,000 percent more likely to expect sex on a first date than those who support Clinton. The Donald’s followers are 99 percent more likely to have filmed themselves having sex.
“One thing that Trump doesn’t have is impulse control,” Fisher noted, “and that’s very appealing to this group of people.”
Fisher posited that Trump supporters must also be “somewhat confident, tough-minded and direct,” like the Donald is, characteristics that would make them “willing to do in their private life what they want to do.”
Those in the Clinton camp are more likely to be female (176 percent) and gay (606 percent), and Trump supporters are more like to be unemployed (82 percent) or retired (96 percent).
In a section of the study that included more politicians than just Clinton and Trump, Vice President  Biden was viewed as the most popular Democratic wingman. Could this be because of his practice of giving shoulder rubs?
The study doesn’t expand on this finding, but it did note that 36 percent of single women said they would “ghost” on Donald Trump after a first date — which the Donald would probably blame on “blood coming out of [their] wherever.”