With less than one week to go before Election Day, the number of Americans who say inflation (36 percent) is the most urgent issue facing the country today is on the rise. It’s 9 percentage points higher than it was in a similar poll in late August, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released Wednesday.
After inflation, concerns drop off dramatically, with abortion (10 percent) ranking as the second most urgent issue, primarily with Democrats. Abortion was not a double-digit issue for either Republicans or independents, and no other issue reached double digits in importance, the polling group said.
Running for governor, candidates Bill Walker and Les Gara have made abortion their issue, and running for Congress, Mary Peltola has referred to abortion as “freedom” and made it her key issue, along with fish.
But it’s not the issue on the minds of voters, other than Democrats.
- Among Republicans, inflation (57 percent) ranks first followed by immigration (15 percent).
- Among Democrats, the top issues are abortion (19 percent), inflation (15 percent), gun violence (14 percent), climate change (10 percent), and election laws (10 percent).
- Among independents, inflation (41 percent) ranks first with no other issue reaching double digits.
- More than half of Americans (54 percent) say the price of gas and consumer goods is the economic issue that worries them the most right now, while 25 percent say the cost of housing or rent, 12 percent say the stock market, and 5 percent say their job situation, Quinnipiac University reported.
More reporting from Quinnipiac on its poll results show a massive difference in voter enthusiasm:
- In measuring how motivated voters are in this year’s midterm elections, roughly half of registered voters (52 percent) say they are more motivated to vote than in past midterm elections, while 7 percent say they are less motivated, and 40 percent say they are just as motivated as usual.
- Among Republican registered voters, 60 percent say they are more motivated to vote, while 2 percent say they are less motivated, and 36 percent say they are just as motivated as usual.
- Among Democratic registered voters, 51 percent say they are more motivated to vote, while 7 percent say they are less motivated, and 40 percent say they are just as motivated as usual.
- Among independent registered voters, 47 percent say they are more motivated to vote, while 9 percent say they are less motivated, and 43 percent say they are just as motivated as usual.
Quinnipiac University Poll regularly surveys residents in many individual states on the Eastern Seaboard, and also nationwide about political races, state and national elections, and issues.
2,203 U.S. adults nationwide were surveyed from October 26 – 30 with a margin of error of +/- 2.1 percentage points. The survey included 2,010 registered voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.2 percentage points.
Read the rest of the poll’s results, including opinions on Joe Biden, Ukraine, Russia, and Congress at this link.
