Exit polls: Inflation, abortion rights drive voters to polls
Going into the midterms, likely voters named the economy their top issue.
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:
- Nearly half of voters say they are worse off financially, more than double what it was 2 years ago
- More than two thirds of voters say Democracy in US is threatened, preliminary exit poll results show
- Majority of voters say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, preliminary exit poll results show
- Voters trust the Republican Party over Democrats to handle inflation, preliminary exit poll results show
- Broad economic discontent among voters, preliminary exit poll results say
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.