Economic woes, border policies and the coronavirus pandemic ranked among the most pressing issues for Americans
Inflation ranks at the top of the list of “urgent issues” for Americans, followed by immigration and Covid-19, a new survey found, showing that Republicans, Democrats and independents share some of the same financial concerns.
A new Quinnipiac University survey published Wednesday asked respondents to rank the “most urgent” issues currently facing the country, finding that 27% named inflation first, while 12% said immigration and 10% the Covid-19 pandemic.
Inflation in the US is now at its highest level in four decades, with consumer prices rising by 7.5% over the last year. While 36% of Republicans put inflation at the top of their list of concerns – the most pressing issue for GOP respondents – Democrats also see rising prices as a problem, with 13% naming it as their top issue. However, climate change and election laws ranked ahead of inflation for Democrats, at 17% and 16% respectively.
Among independent voters, meanwhile, 32% listed inflation as the most urgent concern, followed by immigration (10%), Covid-19 and climate change (tied at 9%).
The same survey showed that nearly 60% of respondents say the country’s economy is getting worse, while 15% said it’s improving and 25% believe it’s remained the same – a more negative assessment than previous polling conducted one month ago, in which 54% said they thought the economy was tanking.
Opinions on President Joe Biden and his actions in office continue to decline. While a January 12 poll showed a 53% overall disapproval rating, in Wednesday’s survey that figure rose to 55%. On six key issues – the Supreme Court, Covid-19 response, foreign policy, tensions with Russia, gun violence and the economy – the president received universally negative scores, with a greater number of respondents disapproving of his performance in each area.
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