When midterm elections roll around in 2022, far more Americans will cast their ballots based on who is best for the economy and inflation than they will based on who might be best at combating COVID-19, according to a poll of registered voters that was released Thursday.
In fact, on a list of seven hot-button issues, only 6.1 percent of Americans of all parties chose the pandemic as their top issue, compared with 45 percent who selected the economy. Individual rights and climate change also topped COVID. Among Black Americans, a statistical zero percent say that the pandemic is their primary concern.
The poll from the Trafalgar Group surveyed 1,092 likely voters over four days in mid-November, asking them: “When considering who you will vote for in 2022, what issue is most important to you?”
“Restoring the economy and lowering inflation” was the top option chosen, followed by “respecting individual rights and liberty” with 20 percent and “addressing climate change” at 16.5 percent.
“Combating the COVID-19 pandemic” was fourth, “fighting crime and violence” was fifth (4.9 percent), “respecting parental rights in education” was sixth (4.6 percent) and “responding to aggression from China” was seventh (2.9 percent).
The poll was commissioned by Convention of States Action, a group run by Mark Meckler that seeks to use Article V Conventions to propose constitutional amendments that will limit the size and scope of the federal government. The margin of error for the poll is 2.97 percent and the confidence level is 95 percent.
“Battling the COVID-19 pandemic is showing to be a concern for fewer and fewer Americans,” said Meckler. “Instead, Americans are increasingly showing alarm over the impact that lockdowns and mandates have had on the economy and the supply chain.”
Naturally, there was much disagreement between Republicans and Democrats in the Trafalgar poll, with more independents falling in line with Republicans. But Democrats, just like Republicans and Independents, cited the economy as their top issue.
The poll comes as Bloomberg reported Thursday that “already-hot inflation is forecast to climb even further when November data comes out on Friday, to 6.8 percent. That would be the highest rate since Ronald Reagan was president in the early 1980s—and in the lifetimes of most Americans.” Gas prices, for example, are 50 percent higher today than they were one year ago, according to Bloomberg.
Among Democrats, climate change was second in the recent poll, the pandemic was third, individual liberty fourth, fighting crime fifth, parental rights in education sixth and China seventh.
Republicans had individual liberty second, education third, crime fourth, China fifth, the pandemic sixth and climate change was last.
Independents also put individual liberty second, with climate change third, crime fourth, China fifth, the pandemic sixth with education bringing up the rear.
All age groups except for the youngest selected the economy as their No.1 issue, with those between 18 and 24 years of age selecting individual liberty as their top priority while the economy was second.
There was little difference between the priorities of males versus females (they both chose the economy as No. 1), with the notable exception of more women than men prioritizing climate change.
Among the various ethnicities, the economy was also tops in all groups. At 42.8 percent, Asians call climate change their top priority more than do any other group, while a statistical zero Asians or Blacks deem China a priority.
Zero Blacks called the pandemic their top priority, but three times more Blacks and Hispanics listed crime at their top issue than did whites, while, statistically speaking, no Asians have crime listed as No. 1.
“While combating crime was a low priority for Americans, that will likely change as we approach the 2022 elections,” Meckler predicted.
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