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, 9:06 PM EST

In Michigan, 47% percent say abortion is most important issue driving their vote, 28% inflation

According to preliminary polling results, nearly half of Michigan voters say abortion is the most important issue driving their vote.

More than half of Michigan voters said abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

A voter drops his ballot in a drop box during early voting at the Lansing City Clerk's Office ahead of the midterm election in Lansing, Mich., Nov. 7, 2022.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

Michigan voters have an abortion-related question on the ballot as a legal battle over an abortion ban on the books continues.

Slightly more than a quarter of voters said inflation was the biggest issue.

Nov 08, 2022, 8:46 PM EST

Suburban women narrowly prefer Democrats, according to preliminary exit poll results

Just over half of suburban women prefer Democratic House candidates over Republican candidates, according to preliminary exit poll results.

Nov 08, 2022, 8:34 PM EST

Voters focused on inflation favor Republicans, those focused on abortion favor Democrats in the House

Over two-thirds of voters focused on inflation as the main issue are favoring Republican House candidates while just over three-fourths of voters who focused on abortion favor Democrats, according to preliminary exit poll results.

Nov 08, 2022, 8:32 PM EST

More voters prefer Republicans to control Congress amid inflation economic concerns

According to preliminary exit poll results, about half of voters say they would rather see the Republican Party control the U.S. House of Representatives, while just under half say the same about Democrats.

Independents, often swing voters, are almost equally divided between Democrats and Republicans when it comes to control of the House, barely leaning toward Democrats. In 2020, independents backed Democratic House candidates by a 9 point margin at 53% to 44%.

Over three-fourths of voters who say they have gotten worse off financially in the past two years are favoring Republicans. A stark turnaround from 2020 and 2018, when this group backed Democrats by about 60-point margins, and a return to GOP advantages among worse-off voters in 2016 and 2014.

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