Three weeks before voters head to the ballot box for the midterm elections, recent polls show that the economy is the number one priority on New Jerseyers’ minds.
Reproductive rights/women’s issues are a distant second on the list.
According to the Rutgers-Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling, a total of 16% of respondents said the economy was the most important issue for them.
Nine percent named women’s issues as the top issue, followed by 8 percent taxes and 5 percent inflation.
“There has been much speculation as to which single issue should be addressed in the face of sky-high inflation and the fall of Roe v. Wade will be the determining factor in voting decisions in this midterm election cycle, but the answer is that different issues — and even a combination of different issues — can be at the fore for different voters,” said Ashley Koning, assistant professor at Rutgers and director of the survey.
According to the poll, Independents – 17% – and Republicans – 23% – were the most likely to name the economy as a top issue.
The top issue for Democrats is reproductive rights – 13 percent – closely followed by the economy – 11 percent. Reproductive rights came third for independents – 9% – after taxes – 11%. Republicans instead focus on inflation – 12% – and immigration – 11%.
“Remember that these polls are snapshots and are not intended to predict who will win and who will lose, but rather what voters are thinking and feeling at the time they are polled,” Koning said. “What ultimately decides victory or defeat is who goes to vote, and we don’t know who that is until Election Day.”
The survey was conducted over a month ago. It surveyed 1,006 adults between August 30 and September 8 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
Gov. Phil Murphy, meanwhile, agreed on Monday that voters will keep an eye on the economy as inflation and the risk of a recession have increased.
“I would say the economy in a broader sense – affordability and certainly including inflation. I think it’s probably at the top of the list. And I think every party in office needs to defend that well,” he said at an independent public event in Eatontown.
“I would say values - certainly abortion, but also the broader set of values - are right behind it,” Murphy added.
Employees of NJ Advance Media Brent Johnson contributed to this report.
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Matt Arco can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @MatthewArco.
