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, 5:25 PM EST

Voters trust the Republican Party over Democrats to handle inflation, preliminary exit poll results show

According to preliminary results, voters trust the Republican Party over the Democratic Party to handle inflation by a moderate 8-point margin of 52% to 44%.

In large part given economic concerns, President Joe Biden is underwater in job approval with 45% approving of the way he’s handling his job as president, while 54% disapprove.

That’s not far from the lowest presidential approval rating in midterm exit polls since 1982, George W. Bush’s 43% in 2006.

Nov 08, 2022, 5:19 PM EST

Broad economic discontent among voters, preliminary exit poll results say

Preliminary results from the national exit poll show broad economic discontent and – relatedly – dissatisfaction with President Joe Biden’s performance. Both historically have spelled trouble for the incumbent president’s party.

According to preliminary results, 32% of voters over all called inflation the single most important issue in their vote. Abortion is a close second, at 27%, followed by crime, immigration and gun policy.

With inflation at a 40-year high, 75% say the national economy is in bad shape, up 23 points from two years ago and 44 points from four years ago. Forty-six percent said their own finances are worse now than two years ago.

Nov 08, 2022, 5:07 PM EST

Recent polling suggests voters narrowly favor Republicans in their congressional district

Forty-nine percent of registered voters favored the Republican in their congressional district and 48% preferred the Democrat. Among likely voters, 50% preferred the Republican while 48% the Democrat, according to recent polling.

Compared to the last ABC News/Washington post poll before the 2018 midterm elections, that is retreat from a 7% Democratic advantage of 50% to 43% among registered voters.

President Joe Biden has a 41% approval rating among all adults, which is in line with former President Donald Trump's approval rating before the 2018 midterm elections.

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