Exit polls: Inflation, abortion rights drive voters to polls

Going into the midterms, likely voters named the economy their top issue.

ByNadine El-Bawab, Gary Langer, and William Mansell
Last Updated: November 9, 2022, 10:40 AM EST

Voters headed to the polls Tuesday for the midterm elections that will determine which party holds the Senate and House of Representatives and could significantly impact President Joe Biden's agenda for the final two years of his first term in the White House.

According to a recent ABC/Post poll, 80% of likely voters said the economy was their top issue in their vote for Congress and 77% said the same about inflation.

Even after the polls close and votes are counted Tuesday night, it could be days or even a week before final midterm election results are known in every state, according to election experts and officials.

Latest headlines:

Here is how the news is developing. All times Eastern.
Nov 08, 2022, 8:07 PM EST

New Hampshire swing voters favor Democrat Sen. Maggie Hassan

Voters among two potential swing voter groups, moderates and independents, leaned toward New Hampshire incumbent Democrat Sen. Maggie Hassan, according to preliminary exit poll results. The lead is wider among moderates over independents.

Senator Maggie Hassan attends an election eve campaign event in Manchester, N.H., Nov. 07, 2022.
Scott Eisen/Getty Images

Hassan also leads among voters who say abortion was their most important issue, but her challenger Republican candidate Donald Bolduc leads with over two-thirds among voters who said inflation was the most important issue in their vote for Senate.

Nov 08, 2022, 7:55 PM EST

Trust to handle inflation widens in favor of Republicans

Republicans have widened their lead when it comes to trust to handle inflation with more than half of voters saying they favor the GOP over Democrats, according to preliminary exit poll results.

Nov 08, 2022, 7:31 PM EST

Just about a 3rd of Georgia voters say Walker has good judgment, preliminary exit poll results show

Republican Herschel Walker, who’s been embroiled in a personal scandal, is seen as showing good judgment by just about a third of Georgia voters in preliminary results.

By contrast, just over half of voters say incumbent Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock shows good judgment.

But, nearly half said Warnock has views that are too extreme, with less than half saying the same of Walker.

Nov 08, 2022, 7:19 PM EST

Georgia suburban women favor Warnock, Abrams in preliminary exit poll results

Georgia Independents leaned toward incumbent Democrat Sen. Raphael Warnock over Republican candidate Herschel Walker, according to preliminary exit poll results. The group favored Warnock in 2021 by 4 points.

Reverend Raphael Warnock, Democratic Senator from Georgia, arrives to speak to students at Atlanta University during a midterm election campaign event, in Atlanta, Nov. 8, 2022.
Bob Strong/Reuters

Statewide suburban voters favored Walker, but Warnock leads in Atlanta suburbs, according to preliminary exit poll results.

However, suburban women voters favored Warnock over Walker.

Suburban women voters favored Democratic candidate Stacy Abrams over Republican incumbent Gov. Brian Kemp, according to preliminary exit poll results.

Kemp, however, has a wide lead over Abrams among voters who cite inflation as the most important issue when it comes to their vote.

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