As the country inches closer toward 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 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 each of our key issues on a rolling 30-day basis in the battleground state of Florida. The Washington Examiner will be updating this page as interests and voting concerns change.
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Key races we’re watching in the state:
Florida has a slew of House seats that are up for grabs in the midterm elections, with most races taking place in a district that is relatively safe for either — leaving room for few surprises.
However, the race for Florida’s 27th Congressional District has emerged as the most competitive in the House as Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL) seeks to hold on to her seat in a race that leans Democratic — giving hopes to her challenger Annette Taddeo (D-FL) that she can manage an upset.
Meanwhile, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) is fending off a challenge from former Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL) as the Republican governor seeks a second term. The race has managed to attract nationwide attention despite the fact it’s unlikely DeSantis will be defeated. The Republican governor is a rising star in the party and is considered a likely contender for the GOP nominee in the 2024 presidential election.
Education
Education emerged as the top concern among Florida voters over the last 30 days, maintaining its status as the No. 1 searched topic throughout August and September, according to internet searches recorded and analyzed by Google Trends.
Education has been a focal point in the governor’s race, with DeSantis making it one of his signature issues throughout his term — pushing for schools to reopen amid the COVID-19 pandemic and signing legislation that bans discussion on gender and sexual identity for students in kindergarten through third grade, among other things. Crist has also leaned on education as a key issue, accusing the incumbent of politicizing the issue.
Internet searches related to education spiked several times during the last week of August, with the highest numbers being recorded on Aug. 24 and 29 — likely coinciding with the announcement of President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program. The most popular search phrases during this time frame were related to this program, according to Google data.
Taxes
Taxes were another top concern over the last month, remaining steady as the No. 2 issue in August and September.
Taxes has emerged as another key issue in the governor’s races, with Crist criticizing DeSantis for signing legislation that he says raises “taxes on the middle class by more than $1.5 billion while giving away $624 million to big corporations.” The Democrat was referring to the governor’s decision to revise the state’s online sales tax law to require remote sellers to collect taxes from customers and send them to the state.
DeSantis has also hit out at Democrats for their policies on taxes, criticizing blue states for imposing tax burdens on their residents. Earlier this year, the Republican governor signed into law the largest tax relief package in Florida’s history, seeking to ease the impact of inflation on residents.
Crime
Crime has also emerged as a top issue, spiking a handful of times during the first week of September before slightly tapering off to become the third-most researched topic as of Sept. 12.
Republicans have sought to paint Democrats as being too “soft on crime” throughout the midterm cycle, and the GOP may have an advantage, because it is typically considered better at handling crime, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll from April. That is a shift from previous sentiments that both parties are capable of handling crime.
Abortion
Abortion remained one of the least-researched topics among Florida voters, with interest spiking on Aug. 17 before dropping off into the No. 4 position.
However, the issue of abortion may become central to the House race in the heavily Hispanic 37th District between Salazar and Taddeo. Latino voters are historically more left-leaning, but the demographic also has close ties with religious issues when it comes to voting — making abortion a toss-up issue that both Democrats and Republicans could capitalize on.
Abortion has emerged as one of the top issues among voters nationwide over the summer after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, ending nationwide access to the procedure and returning the question of legality back to the states. Under current law, Florida bans abortion after 14 weeks.
Inflation
Inflation was one of the top issues among voters in mid-August before tapering off by the beginning of September.
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Inflation rates slightly decreased over the last month, with August prices rising 8.3% compared to the year before, noted a report from the consumer price index released on Tuesday. The numbers were higher than expected but still a decline from July’s numbers, which showed an 8.5% increase.
Republicans have long focused on inflation as a key voter concern in the midterm election cycle, pointing to soaring inflation rates under President Joe Biden. However, inflation has become less of a concern after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, offering Democrats relief and posing a challenge to Republicans as they formulate new strategies.
