As the country inches closer to Election Day, voters are homing in on issues that may decide the fate of Congress and several state governments in November.
The Washington Examiner is tracking which issues are on the top of voters’ minds as they prepare to head to the polls, particularly in key battleground states that could bring a shift in power to the federal government. Specifically, we’re tracking how voters are researching our top five issues — abortion, crime, education, inflation, and taxes — and how these interests fluctuate as we get closer to Election Day.
MIDTERMS 2022: TRACKING THE ISSUES THAT MATTER TO VOTERS AHEAD OF ELECTION DAY
Below, you can track the interest in Washington for each of our key issues on a rolling 30-day basis. The Washington Examiner will be updating this page as interests and voting concerns change.
Key races we’re watching in the state:
Washington voters will decide if Democratic incumbent Patty Murray will retain her Senate seat as she faces Republican candidate Tiffany Smiley in November. Murray dominated on the west side of the state during primaries, holding cities such as Seattle and Tacoma, while Republican primary candidates gained ground in most of the east side of the state, including the city of Spokane.
Smiley won her primary with 33.6% of the vote.
A poll conducted by the Atlanta-based Trafalgar Group showed that if the election occurred in early September, 49.2% of likely voters would vote for Murray, and 46.3% would vote for Smiley. A debate between the two is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Oct. 23. Whether a second debate will occur between the two is undetermined after Murray’s team did not respond to Smiley’s before the Republican’s deadline of Oct. 5. However, Murray’s spokesman Amir Avin said Murray “absolutely” wants to participate in another debate.
Voters should also look out for the secretary of state race between current Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and nonpartisan candidate Julie Anderson. A September Crosscut/Elway poll showed that Hobbs held a narrow lead over Anderson, at 31% to 29% as of Sept. 22. Hobbs recently canceled a final fifth debate with Anderson after he said he was unavailable up until Election Day. However, the secretary of state candidates will have held four debates by the midterm elections, with the final two on Oct. 23 and 26.
Education
Education emerged as the top-researched issue among Washington voters early in mid-September and remained the No. 1 priority for the duration of the month, according to internet searches recorded and analyzed by Google Trends.
Interest spiked on Sept. 14 after the state received a failing grade from the Education Freedom Report Card, a D.C.-based think tank that rates educational systems based on school choice, transparency, regulatory freedom, and spending. Washington ranked No. 43 out of all 50 states and the District of Columbia. After remaining steady throughout the end of the month and into October, interest spiked again on Oct. 5 for World Teachers’ Day.
Crime
Crime has also emerged as a top issue, ending as the No. 2 concern as of Oct. 17 after receiving a few small spikes in interest earlier throughout mid-September and into October.
According to a September Crosscut/Elway poll, 13% of Washington voters marked crime as one of the most important factors. A Politico/Morning Consult poll released on Oct. 5 showed crime as a key battle area for the midterm elections as a whole.
Republicans are continuously working to tie a pandemic-era rise in crime to Democrats, both on the campaign trail and in TV ads. Approximately three-quarters of respondents said violent crime is increasing nationally, while 88% said violent crime is either increasing or staying the same in their own communities. Sixty percent of respondents said that crime would influence who they voted for in the midterm election.
Taxes
Taxes emerged as another top issue among voters, staying steady from mid-September into early October. The issue came in at No. 3 as of Oct. 17.
Washington is one of the few states that will not have a tax rebate or one-time payment sent out this year. The state legislature passed bills in June 2022 authorizing the Working Families Tax Credit program for 2023, based on 2022 filed taxes. Those eligible could receive up to $1,200 if they meet several requirements, according to the state Department of Revenue website.
Inflation
Inflation remained one of the lowest-searched topics throughout September and into October, receiving a significant spike in interest on Oct. 13 before falling back to No. 4 as of Oct. 17.
The large spike on Oct. 13 coincides with the release of September’s inflation numbers in a October consumer price index report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. September inflation was recorded at 8.2% in the report.
Inflation is one of the most important issues on voters’ minds heading into the midterm elections, according to a Monmouth University report released on Monday. In the United States, 82% of people overall ranked inflation as an “extremely” or “very important” issue, compared with 56% who ranked abortion as a top worry and 32% who viewed the coronavirus pandemic as a big concern.
Abortion
Abortion is the lowest-ranking issue among the five, remaining steady with no significant spikes in interest.
Most searches related to abortion clinics within the state, as Washington State Sexual and Reproductive Health Network partners receive state funding to perform sexual and reproductive healthcare, including abortions.
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Currently, abortion is legal until viability in Washington. Gov. Jay Inslee (D) signed a bill in March that expanded abortion protections, including banning lawsuits against women seeking abortions in the state.
Sen. Lindsey Graham announced in mid-September that he planned to introduce a bill that would ban most abortions nationwide at 15 weeks of pregnancy. This bill received backlash from Democrats and Republicans, who have collapsed into indecision over the issue. The party historically has campaigned on returning abortion restrictions to the states.
