Economy Ranked As A Top Issue But Concerns Over Democracy Drove Pbs

Leo Migdal

-Dec 3, 2025, 11:41 PM

economy ranked as a top issue but concerns over democracy drove pbs

Josh Boak, Associated Press Josh Boak, Associated Press Linley Sanders, Associated Press Linley Sanders, Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Voters said the economy and immigration are the top issues facing the country, but the future of democracy was also a leading motivator for many Americans casting a ballot in Tuesday’s... INTERACTIVE MAP: Create your own projections for the 2024 presidential race, based on race ratings from Cook Political Report AP VoteCast, an expansive survey of more than 110,000 voters nationwide, found a country mired in negativity and desperate for change as Americans faced a stark choice between former President Donald Trump and Vice... WASHINGTON (AP) — Voters for Kamala Harris and Donald Trump who cast their ballots for Tuesday’s presidential election had vastly different motivations — reflecting a broader national divide on the problems the United States...

AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of more than 115,000 voters nationwide, found that the fate of democracy appeared to be a primary driver for Vice President Harris’ supporters. It was a sign that the Democratic nominee’s messaging in her campaign’s closing days accusing Trump of being a fascist may have broken through. By contrast, Trump’s supporters were largely focused on immigration and inflation — two issues that the former Republican president has been hammering since the start of his campaign. Trump has pledged that tariffs would bring back factory jobs and that greater domestic oil production would flow through the economy and lower prices. Overall, the presidential candidates’ coalitions, based on race, education and community type, appeared largely similar to the 2020 results. Preliminary AP VoteCast findings, however, hinted at some shifts among demographic groups that could be meaningful for the ultimate outcome, including among younger, Black and Hispanic voters.

Voters’ conflicting views on key priorities set up a challenge for whoever ultimately wins the election to lead the world’s premier economic and military power. Voters saw the qualities of each candidate differently. They were more likely to describe Trump as a strong leader than they were Harris, but she had an edge over him on being seen as having the moral character needed to be president. As concerns around the state of the economy and inflation continue, about eight-in-ten registered voters (81%) say the economy will be very important to their vote in the 2024 presidential election. While the economy is the top issue among voters, a large majority (69%) cite at least five of the 10 issues asked about in the survey as very important to their vote. There are wide differences between voters who support Harris and Trump when it comes to the issues.

Among Trump supporters, the economy (93%), immigration (82%) and violent crime (76%) are the leading issues. Just 18% of Trump supporters say racial and ethnic inequality is very important. And even fewer say climate change is very important (11%). For Harris supporters, issues such as health care (76%) and Supreme Court appointments (73%) are of top importance. Large majorities also cite the economy (68%) and abortion (67%) as very important to their vote in the election. WASHINGTON (AP) — Voters for Kamala Harris and Donald Trump who cast their ballots for Tuesday’s presidential election had vastly different motivations — reflecting a broader national divide on the problems the United States...

AP VoteCast, an extensive survey of more than 115,000 voters nationwide, found that the fate of democracy appeared to be a primary driver for Vice President Harris’ supporters. It was a sign that the Democratic nominee’s messaging in her campaign’s closing days accusing Trump of being a fascist may have broken through. By contrast, Trump’s supporters were largely focused on immigration and inflation — two issues that the former Republican president has been hammering since the start of his campaign. Trump has pledged that tariffs would bring back factory jobs and that greater domestic oil production would flow through the economy and lower prices. The conflicting views set up a challenge for whoever wins the election to lead the world’s premier economic and military power. Voters saw the qualities of each candidate differently.

They were more likely to describe Trump as a strong leader than they were Harris, but she had an edge over him on being seen as having the moral character needed to be president. Candidates raise array of issues but voters focus on a few AP correspondent Jennifer King reports that voters say the economy is important but concern over democracy was what drove many to the polls. In a politically polarized nation, both Republican and Democratic voters worry over the state of U.S. democracy and how the outcome of the presidential contest will affect its future; they just disagree over who poses the threat. (Dec.

15) (AP Video/Serkan Gurbuz) FILE - The White House is seen reflected in a puddle, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022, in Washington. In a politically polarized nation, Americans seem to agree on one issue underlying the 2024 elections — a worry over the state of democracy and how the outcome of the presidential contest will affect... A poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 62% of adults say democracy in the U.S. could be at risk depending on who wins.

That view is held by 72% of Democrats and 55% of Republicans, but for different reasons. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) WASHINGTON (AP) — In a politically polarized nation, Americans seem to agree on one issue underlying the 2024 elections — a worry over the state of democracy and how the outcome of the presidential... They just disagree over who poses the threat. A poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 62% of adults say democracy in the U.S. could be at risk depending on who wins next fall.

Majorities of Democrats (72%) and Republicans (55%) feel the same way, but for different reasons. The economy is the single most important issue for voters, according to the first results from a new Newsweek tracker poll that asked Americans their views on key 2024 election issues. That's one of the central findings from Newsweek's sentiment tracker carried out by Redfield & Wilton Strategies under a new partnership announced on July 14. The tracker will chart opinions on a range of issues affecting voters' daily lives, engaging readers on topics including the war in Ukraine, healthcare, gun control, inflation and public education, among others. The survey was conducted on July 15 and July 16 among 1,500 eligible U.S. voters.

"I would like to draw attention to the nuances of public opinion that we can already see in this first poll," said Philip van Scheltinga, director of research at Redfield & Wilton Strategies.

Economy Ranked As A Top Issue But Concerns Over Democracy Drove Pbs

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