Washington-A survey published on Wednesday night showed that as the 15th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, partisan differences over the ability of terrorists to launch a major attack on the United States are now very wide.

The latest national survey by Pew Research Center, conducted Aug. 23-Sept. 2 among 1,201 adults, found that currently, 40% of Americans say that the ability of terrorists to launch another major attack on the United States is greater than it was at the time of the 9/11 attacks, which is the highest share expressing this view over the past 14 years.

About a third (31%) say terrorists’ abilities to attack are the same as at the time of 9/11, while just 25% say their ability to initiate a major attack is less than at that time.

According to Pew, “the growth in the belief that terrorists are now better able to launch a major strike on the U.S. has come almost entirely among Republicans.”

Today, 58% of Republicans view the ability of terrorists to attack as greater than at the time of 9/11, up 18 percentage points since November 2013.

This marks the first time in the past 14 years that a majority in either party has expressed this view, said Pew.

Only about a third of independents (34%) and 31% of Democrats say terrorists are now better able to strike the U.S. than they were then, and these views are similar to three years ago (32% of independents, 29% of Democrats), Pew added.