Table of Contents
Americans head to the polls for the US midterm elections on Tuesday, with the economy, cost of living, and immigration dominating voter concerns. Recent polls show that while voters from both major parties share worries over rising expenses, they hold starkly contrasting views on the economy, President Donald Trump’s performance, and other key issues.
Top Issues for Democrats and Republicans
A Pew Research Centre survey conducted between September 28 and October 4 showed that 84 percent of registered voters considered the economy very important to their midterm choice, making it the top issue for 82 percent of Republican supporters and 88 percent of Democrats.
However, the two groups diverged significantly on other matters. The future of democracy mattered to 85 percent of Democrats compared with 69 percent of Republicans, while healthcare was a priority for 82 percent of Democrats and 53 percent of Republicans. Conversely, immigration concerned 72 percent of Republican supporters versus 53 percent of Democrats, and violent crime was important to 64 percent of Republicans compared with 37 percent of Democrats.
A Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) survey conducted from September 16 to 21 indicated that 42 percent of registered voters trusted Democrats more to handle healthcare costs, while 22 percent trusted Republicans. On the overall cost of living, 39 percent trusted Democrats more, and 25 percent preferred Republicans.
Views on Trump and the Economy
Public assessment of President Trump and his economic policies remains deeply divided along party lines. The Pew survey found that 91 percent of Democratic respondents and Democratic-leaning voters felt Trump’s economic policies made conditions worse. Among Republicans, 39 percent said his policies improved the economy, 35 percent said they worsened conditions, and 25 percent stated they had little effect. An NBC News poll released on November 1 showed that 40 percent of registered voters approved of Trump’s overall job performance, while 60 percent disapproved.
Overall economic dissatisfaction was widespread. In the NBC poll, 75 percent of respondents reported dissatisfaction with the state of the US economy. An October Pew survey revealed that 36 percent of Republicans rated the US economy as excellent or good, compared with only 9 percent of Democrats and Democratic leaners.
Despite these divisions, majorities in both groups expressed worry about essential expenses. According to Pew, 82 percent of Democrats and 62 percent of Republicans worried about food and consumer prices. Healthcare costs concerned 80 percent of Democrats and 57 percent of Republicans, while petrol and energy prices worried 81 percent of Democrats and 65 percent of Republicans. Additionally, a Fox News poll released on October 14 found that 74 percent of registered voters rated the economy negatively, with 60 percent naming the cost of living as their primary economic concern.
Personal Financial Situation and Enthusiasm
In the NBC poll, 51 percent of registered voters expressed dissatisfaction with their personal financial situation, while 49 percent were satisfied, marking the first time in 30 years of NBC polling that financial dissatisfaction outweighed satisfaction. An NPR/PBS News/Marist poll conducted on October 19-20 found that 38 percent of likely voters said their finances had worsened over the past year, 44 percent reported no change, and 15 percent noted improvement. Among Democratic likely voters, 51 percent stated their finances had deteriorated, compared with 21 percent of Republicans.
Eric Ham, a former Democratic congressional staffer and Senate national security adviser, told Al Jazeera that President Trump’s global tariffs and the US-Israel war on Iran have compounded financial pressures on American households.
Democratic voters also reported higher levels of enthusiasm. The Marist poll showed that 91 percent of likely Democratic voters felt enthusiastic or very enthusiastic, compared with 86 percent of Republicans and 76 percent of Independents. John Fury, a former Republican congressional staffer, told Al Jazeera that the closing days of the campaign focused entirely on turnout rather than persuasion.
Surveys conducted in the final weeks before the election indicated a preference for Democratic candidates and congressional control. An NBC poll from October 28-30 showed 52 percent of registered voters preferred Democratic control of Congress against 45 percent for Republicans, while a Reuters/Ipsos survey from October 22 to 26 indicated that 53 percent of likely voters intended to support Democratic candidates in their district compared with 44 percent supporting Republicans.
