A new CBS/YouGov poll shows Republicans with a slight lead over Democrats and the economy far ahead of abortion as the top issue on voters’ minds just weeks ahead of the November midterm elections.
According to the national poll of registered voters, 46% of respondents said they planned to support a Republican candidate, just one point ahead of the 45% who said they planned to support a Democratic candidate.
Of the voters who said they were likely to vote in November, 82% said the economy was very important to them as they cast their vote, while 76% said inflation was very important.
Falling further down the list was abortion, which Democrats across the country have made a focal point in their campaign messaging. Just 59% of likely voters said it was very important to them as they cast their vote and 20% said it wasn’t important, compared to just 2% for the economy and 4% for inflation.
2022 MIDTERM ELECTIONS NEWS AND UPDATES AS DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS FIGHT FOR CONTROL OF CONGRESS
Respondents to the poll were nearly evenly split when it came to the recent actions taken by Republican governors in sending migrants entering the U.S, to Democratic-leaning areas, such as New York City and Washington, D.C., with 51% of voters approving and 49% disapproving.
Republicans and Democrats did appear to see eye-to-eye in one area of the poll, with a strong majority from both parties saying their rights and freedoms were at stake in this election.
Among all likely voters, 68% said they believed their rights and freedoms were at stake “a lot,” while 71% of those who identified as Republicans and 66% of those who identified as Democrats believed the same.
When it came to which party voters said made them feel safer from violent crime, Republicans had a nearly double-digit lead at 38% compared to Democrats’ 29%. Those who believed neither party made them feel safer came in at 23%, while just 10% said it was equal between the two parties.
Only 61% of Democrats, however, believed their own party was the best at tackling violent crime, while Republicans felt more positively about their own party, with 79% saying they were best at handling the issue.
Additionally, President Biden’s approval numbers were underwater by double digits, with just 45% of voters approving of the job he has done as president, and 55% disapproving.
Fox News’ Power Rankings predict Republicans will win control of the House of Representatives in November with a 13-seat majority. It also predicts the battle for the Senate remains a tossup.
The general election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 8.
