A new poll finds that Democrats and Republicans have vastly different opinions on fundamental questions about the state of our country and the best type of candidate that would be best to solve pressing issues in the nation.

A USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll shows 41 percent of Democrats agree that the U.S. is headed in the right direction compared to 36 percent who said it is not. On the other hand, an overwhelming number of Republicans -- 86 percent to be exact -- feel like the country has gotten off on the wrong track compared to just 7 percent who would disagree.

The national survey also shows that Democrats and Republicans disagree about which credentials would make a candidate a good president. According to Democrats, a candidate with a strong background in politics and government would qualify someone to be Commander-in-Chief. However, Republicans argue that a Washington outsider would be best suited for the White House because they could bring a fresh perspective.

Seventy-five percent of Democrats agree with this statement: "The problems the United States faces are so serious that it's important to elect a president who has experience in government to address them." As a result, it's no surprise that a mass majority support Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, a former U.S. senator and secretary of state under the Obama administration.

However, the majority of Republicans agree with this statement: "The problems the United States faces are so serious that it's time to elect an outsider as president who can bring a fresh perspective to address them." That explains why business mogul Donald Trump has been able to maintain a strong lead in the GOP primary race. Likewise, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson has also been doing well in the race.

The poll, which was conducted from Dec. 2 to Dec. 6, also revealed that despite the many differences between the two political parties, most Americans, including independents, rank terrorism and national security as the most important issue facing the next president.