Topline
Voters took to the polls on Election Day dissatisfied and angry about the state of the country and the future of democracy, with concerns about inflation and abortion driving their voting decisions in Tuesday’s midterm election, according to the first rounds of exit polls.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 08: People line up in the rain to vote at a tent in a shopping center … [+]
Key Facts
In exit polls conducted by CNN and CBS, more than 70% of voters said they were either “angry” or “dissatisfied” about the direction the country is headed in.
Inflation was the top concern for the largest share of voters in three outlets’ exit polls: 50% of Associated Press survey respondents and 32% in both the CBS and CNN polls.
Seventy percent of voters in the CBS poll said the state of democracy is threatened and 44% in the Associated Press poll said the issue was the primary factor in their voting decision, second only to inflation.
Abortion policies also weighed heavily on voters’ minds, with 70% of those polled by the Associated Press saying it was a significant factor in their voting preferences, but while 60% said they were against Roe v. Wade’s reversal, 40% said they were in favor of it.
President Joe Biden posted dismal numbers in the exit polls: Among CBS survey respondents, 46% said his policies are hurting the country, 54% have an unfavorable opinion of the president (the same percentage as the CNN poll) and 66% do not want to see him run for re-election in 2024.
While the majority of voters in the CBS poll said they trust Republicans over Democrats to handle inflation, 48% of CNN poll respondents said the president’s performance wasn’t a factor in their votes for House candidates, though 32% said they cast their votes in opposition to Biden.
What To Watch For
The first polls closed at 6 p.m. Eastern Time in Kentucky and Indiana, where the outcome of incumbent Rep. Frank Mrvan (D)’s race against Republican Jennifer-Ruth Greene could be one of the first indicators of how the parties will fare throughout the rest of the night. Mrvan is favored to win, according to most forecasts, but if Greene flips the district, it could indicate a rough night for Democrats.
Tangent
The majority of CBS poll respondents, 60%, said they have an unfavorable opinion of former President Donald Trump, who has teased in recent days that he could announce a 2024 presidential run in less than a week.
Big Number
63%. That’s the percentage of CBS poll respondents who said they think Biden legitimately won the 2020 presidential election.
Further Reading
Elections Results 2022: These Are Tonight’s Must-Watch Races That Will Decide The Senate (Forbes)
GOP Wave May Not Net As Many Seats As Prior Midterms—Here Are The Close Races To Watch (Forbes)
More Democrats Have Voted Early—But Election-Day GOP Votes Could Sway The Midterms (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2022/11/08/2022-exit-polls-voters-are-angry-about-the-state-of-the-country—heres-what-was-on-their-mind-as-they-voted/