As we approach the 2024 election in November, both Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump are gearing up for a showdown in the crucial swing states. With just over two months to go, every vote in these battlegrounds could be pivotal.
Voters are especially concerned about the economy, which has been struggling due to high gas prices and inflation during President Biden’s term. This economic backdrop makes it a hot-button issue for many.
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Additionally, abortion rights have become a significant topic following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last year. Harris’s team argues that a Trump administration would seek to impose further restrictions on abortion, a claim Trump has often refuted. However, he recently indicated he would vote against a Florida measure aimed at repealing a stringent six-week abortion ban, which sparked some conservative backlash.
Recent polls by The New York Times/Siena College highlight the salience of these issues in swing states such as Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, where the economy ranks as the top concern for more than 20% of voters. Abortion consistently ranks as either the second or third priority.
Immigration also makes the list of top concerns, particularly in Pennsylvania, where 16% of voters identified it as a key issue. Another poll from Emerson College corroborates these findings, showing that the economy remains the foremost issue, with slightly more than half of voters in Pennsylvania listing it as their main concern.
In North Carolina, the economy is similarly seen as the primary issue by nearly 48% of voters. In Arizona, though, the economy and immigration are neck-and-neck, with just a 4-point difference.
Trump and Harris’s teams have yet to provide comments on these findings.
Additional Voter Concerns
Beyond what NYT/Siena covered, the Emerson College poll included topics like housing affordability and threats to democracy. In Nevada, 37% of respondents prioritized the economy, while 15% cited housing affordability as the second most important issue.
Housing affordability resonates with voters in other states as well, while threats to democracy were flagged as significant concerns for over 10% of voters in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Georgia.
A Fox News survey focused on the Sun Belt states—Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, and North Carolina—revealed that 41% of voters find the economy to be their top priority, followed closely by immigration at 14% and abortion at 13%.
In mid-August, the polling firm Redfield & Wilton Strategies expanded their analysis to include swing states like Florida, Minnesota, and New Mexico. The results emphasized that cost of living concerns are paramount, with up to 75% of voters considering it an “extremely” important issue.
Election integrity also holds substantial weight in states like Pennsylvania and Arizona, while topics such as illegal immigration, tax policies, abortion, and crime are viewed as critical by a significant portion of voters.