Democrats, who already face an uphill battle in the midterm elections, just got delivered another blow as Americans’ concerns are changing in ways that could prove more favorable to Republicans.
According to a new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey, concern about Covid-19 is taking a backseat to other issues, such as the economy and inflation.
As AP notes, pandemic management was “once an issue that strongly favored President Joe Biden and his fellow Democrats.” Now, however, only 37 percent of Americans name the virus as one of their top five priorities for the government to address in 2022, which is down from the 53 percent who said it was a top priority this time last year.
The economy outpaced the pandemic in the open-ended question, with 68% of respondents mentioning it in some way as a top 2022 concern. A similar percentage said the same last year, but mentions of inflation are much higher now: 14% this year, compared with less than 1% last year.
Consumer prices jumped 6.8% for the 12 months ending in November, a nearly four-decade high. Meanwhile, roughly twice as many Americans now mention their household finances, namely, the cost of living, as a governmental priority, 24% vs. 12% last year. (Associated Press)
While the survey of 1,089 adults was conducted Dec. 2-7, prior to the surge in Omicron cases over the holiday season, AP says participants it conducted follow-up interviews with, including Democrats, didn't change their opinions.
The shifting priorities suggest Democrats face considerable challenges to maintaining control of Congress as they head into a critical midterm election year.https://t.co/zeiBaLOAMX
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 10, 2022
The poll showed 68% of Americans saying the economy is a top concern for the government in 2022. Another 24% mentioned the cost of living as a priority, as consumer prices recently reached a nearly four-decade high.https://t.co/pXB5SSSqNK
— The Associated Press (@AP) January 10, 2022