Economic Woes Drive Voters to the Polls, with High Prices and Housing Leading Concerns

As the economy remains a top concern for voters, a new Fox News poll reveals a significant increase in the number of Americans citing high grocery prices and housing costs as major factors influencing their decision to vote in the upcoming fall elections.

As the midterm elections approach, the economy continues to dominate voters' minds, with a new Fox News national poll highlighting the profound impact of rising prices on their decision to cast ballots. A staggering 66% of voters now view grocery prices as a major problem for their families, up from 62% in May. Similarly, 60% cite housing costs as a significant concern, marking a substantial 13-point jump since May.

This surge in economic anxiety is reflected across various demographic groups, including men (+16 points), White voters (+15), those without a college degree (+15), Republicans (+15), voters ages 65 and over (+14), Democrats (+13), and those under 45 (+13). While gas prices remain a significant concern for nearly half of voters (48%), they have remained relatively stable since May.

Economic Woes Drive Voters to the Polls, with High Prices and Housing Leading Concerns

Amidst these economic concerns, high prices emerge as the top factor motivating voters to participate in the upcoming elections. Four in 10 voters (39%) indicate that high prices will be the primary issue driving their decision, followed by immigration (32%), stopping the opposing side from winning (29%), abortion (27%), violent crime (26%), and candidate demographics (9%).

Democrats prioritize abortion (39%) and preventing the other side from winning (37%), while Republicans and independents prioritize immigration (50% and 27%, respectively) and high prices (49% and 40%).

The economy remains the overall top issue for 39% of voters, followed by immigration (16%) and abortion (15%). Democrats are divided between abortion (27%) and the economy (25%), while Republicans and independents once again converge on the economy (50% and 45%, respectively), followed by immigration (30% and 13%).

Former President Donald Trump holds an advantage in handling two of the top three priorities: the economy (5 points) and immigration (10 points). Vice President Kamala Harris, however, is favored to handle abortion by 16 points.

Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts the Fox News Poll with Democrat Chris Anderson, observes that "the issue profile of this election continues to favor Trump." However, he notes a decline in his economic advantage, which he attributes to Harris's focus on housing costs and taxes, issues that resonate with middle-class voters.

Overall, Harris holds a narrow 2-point lead over Trump in the head-to-head matchup (50%-48%), within the margin of error.

"One reason the horse race is so tight is that a handful of voters who trust Trump on the economy and immigration still back Harris, and a handful of those trusting Harris on abortion and climate favor Trump," says Dana Blanton, who runs the Fox News polling unit.

Trump's economic advantage is reinforced by a more favorable view of his presidency. By 17 points, more voters believe his administration's policies were helpful than harmful, while Biden's policies are seen as harmful by 24 points.

Half of Democrats (50%) approve of Biden's policies, while most Republicans (87%) and over half of independents (52%) disapprove. In contrast, Democrats are more likely to view Trump's policies as harmful (55%), while most Republicans (86%) consider them helpful.

Anderson notes that "the perception that Trump's policies helped more than Biden's creates some heavy baggage for Harris in this campaign and shows why 'turning the page' is a central theme she's tried to stress."

Despite negative attitudes toward the economy and high prices, 41% of voters believe life will be better for the next generation, a significant increase from 25% two years ago. This optimism is particularly prevalent among those without a college degree (+21), voters with incomes under $50,000 (+20), nonwhite voters (+19), Democrats (+18), men (+18), and voters under age 30 (+16).

Conducted by Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), the Fox News poll surveyed a sample of 1,102 registered voters selected from a national voter file. The results have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points.