As the country inches closer toward Election Day, voters are homing in on specific 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 — including 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 of each of our key issues on a rolling 30-day basis in the battleground state of Ohio. 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:
There are several high-profile races being watched in Ohio, which once proved to be a bellwether state for presidential elections but has since shifted to be a somewhat reliably red state in recent years.
Most notably, Ohio voters will head to the polls to elect a new senator in a race that is likely to determine which party will control the Senate for the next two years. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) is facing Trump-backed J.D. Vance after Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) announced he will retire at the end of this term.
Further down the ballot is the governor’s race, which could have an impact on how presidential elections are held in the state — especially after claims of widespread voter fraud in 2020 that Trump allies claim are responsible for the former president’s loss. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine faces a challenge from Democratic challenger Nan Whaley in a tightly contested race to head the state’s government.
Education
At the top of Ohio voters’ minds as of Oct. 16 is education, according to internet searches recorded and analyzed by Google Trends.
Education emerged as a top concern among voters over the last month, spiking several times throughout October, mirroring nationwide trends that saw the issue receive renewed interest over the last two months — likely coinciding with the beginning of the school year. Other spikes in interest may be due in part to the announcement of President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness program on Aug. 24.
Republican candidates have especially leaned in on education, emphasizing curriculum transparency and parent choice as focal points in their campaigns.
Further down the ballot, Ohioans will have the chance to elect new members of Ohio’s State Board of Education — a race that typically goes under the radar but has gained more attention over the last two years as schools have come under scrutiny for teaching “controversial topics.” Whomever Ohio voters elect to the board will face a slew of policy-related battles, including proposals on banning classroom discussions on gender and sexuality.
Crime
Crime has long been a focal point in the midterm elections as crime rates have risen exponentially nationwide over the last two years, particularly in Ohio.
The state’s record crime spike has prompted candidates to focus on the issue throughout their campaigns, especially in the Senate race between Ryan and Vance. Ryan has been a target of criticism by Republicans in the state who accused the incumbent senator of being too soft on crime, pointing to his support of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act that seeks to prevent racial bias in law enforcement.
Vance may also have an advantage because Republicans are typically considered to be better at handling crime, according to an April Washington Post/ABC News poll. That sentiment has shifted in previous years — voters used to consider both parties equal on the matter.
Taxes
Taxes were one of Ohio voters’ top concerns throughout September and October before falling below crime near the end of the month and coming in as the third-most researched topic as of Oct. 16.
Internet searches related to taxes spiked on Oct. 4 and 14 in tandem with increased interest in education — likely having to do with Biden’s student loan forgiveness program. The forgiveness plan described parameters for who would be eligible for student loan cancellation, noting borrowers will need to earn under $125,000 individually or $250,000 as a household.
The rise in tax-related internet searches in relation to student loan forgiveness comes after some states announced that borrowers may be taxed. Ohio is one of the states that has announced it will exempt borrowers from paying taxes on their loan forgiveness.
Abortion
Abortion emerged as a top issue among Ohio voters, particularly after the Supreme Court announced its decision to overturn Roe v. Wade earlier this summer, ending nationwide access to abortions and instead returning the decision of its legality to the states. Internet searches related to abortion remained low compared to other issues, alternating with inflation as the second-least researched topic as of Oct. 16.
As a result, Ohio enacted a new abortion law that bans the procedure after a fetal heartbeat is detected except for cases in which the mother’s life is at risk. Abortion access animated the Ohio Senate race after Ryan and Vance retreated to opposite sides of the aisle.
Ryan has voiced his support of codifying abortion rights into federal law, while Vance has argued in support of banning the procedure and leaving the decision up to the states.
Inflation
Inflation remained a low-researched topic over the last month, receiving a spike in interest on Oct. 13 before falling back to No. 5 as of Oct. 16.
The spike in interest on Oct. 13 is likely due to the latest report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that was released on that day, the final report before Election Day. Inflation clocked in at 8.2% for the 12 months ending in September — higher than expected and defying the Federal Reserve’s aggressive interest rate hikes.
Stocks immediately took a hit after the report was released. Futures of the Dow Jones Industrial Average were down some 500 points just minutes after the report’s release. The S&P 500 was off by about 2%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq plunged nearly 3%.
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Republicans have long focused on inflation as a key voter concern in the midterm election cycle, pointing to soaring inflation rates under Biden. However, inflation has become less of a concern after the passage of Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, offering Democrats relief and posing challenges to Republicans as they formulate new strategies.
Ryan voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which may have implications as he seeks to defend his seat in November. Other members of Congress representing Ohio in the House voted against the legislation.
