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 South Dakota in 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:
South Dakota voters will be making their pick for governor, U.S. senator, and the state’s sole U.S. representative on the ballot this November.
Rep. Dusty Johnson (R) is running for reelection against Libertarian Collin Duprel. While the two see eye to eye on several issues, the pair are divided on two key social issues: abortion and gay marriage. When asked about whether they support gay marriage during the debate on Oct. 20, Johnson said gay marriage is the law of the land, with only one Supreme Court justice looking to overturn the high court’s 2013 United States v. Windsor decision. Duprel admonished Johnson for avoiding the question and said people should be able to marry whomever they love.
Sen. John Thune (R) will need to beat Democratic challenger Brian Bengs to maintain his seat in the Senate. Thune, currently the second-ranking Republican in the Senate, had a 13% lead over Bengs as of Sept. 26, according to a Lake Research Partners poll conducted by Democrats. An Oct. 14 poll released by South Dakota State University researchers found that Thune still has a lead over Bengs but did not specify the numbers.
Incumbent Gov. Kristi Noem (R) is up for reelection this cycle, holding a slight 4-point lead over state Rep. Jamie Smith (D). Another South Dakota State poll found that 45% expected to vote for Noem and over 41% expected to vote for Smith as of Oct. 10.
The subject of taxes has been a feature of the governor’s race. Noem’s campaign released an ad with clips of Smith saying, “I’m advocating for taxes on new things,” and, “We need more things to tax,” during a rotary event on Oct. 17. However, Smith said his words were taken out of context and were not spoken back-to-back as the ad implies. Noem said in response to Smith’s comments that the ad is credible and fair.
Education
Education emerged as the top-researched issue among Tennessee voters toward the end of September and into mid-October, remaining the No. 1 priority as of Oct. 20, according to internet searches recorded and analyzed by Google Trends.
Interest spiked on Sept. 29 when the state announced it would receive close to $5 million from the U.S. Department of Education to improve and create safer learning environments.
Crime
Crime also emerged as a top issue, ending as the No. 2 concern as of Oct. 20 and remaining steady into October.
Interest spiked slightly on Oct. 13 after multiple “active shooter” hoax calls were made to schools across the state — the same day the Parkland school shooter received his life sentence.
Searches spiked again on Oct. 16-18, around the time that a Texas law firm released data found in the FBI’s Crime Data Explorer. South Dakota was recorded as having the seventh-highest violent crime rate, with almost 530 crimes per 100,000 people.
Taxes
Taxes emerged as another top issue among voters, staying steady from the end of September into mid-October. The issue came in at No. 3 as of Oct. 20.
South Dakota residents had until Oct. 17 to file their 2021 taxes and receive a maximum of $700. Rebates are expected to be sent out before Dec. 31. Addresses and bank accounts must be updated by Nov. 1 to receive the rebate.
Inflation
Inflation was one of the least-searched topics among South Dakota voters throughout September and into October, with some slight spikes before falling back to No. 4 as of Oct. 20.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released September’s inflation numbers in a consumer price index report on Oct. 13. September inflation was recorded at 8.2% in the report.
Inflation is one of the most important issues for voters as the midterm elections approach, according to a Monmouth University report released on Oct. 3. In the United States, 82% of people 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.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Abortion
Abortion stands as the No. 5 issue among South Dakota voters, resting just below inflation.
The South Dakota Constitution currently bans abortion except in cases of life endangerment. Any person who “performs, procures or advises” an abortion is guilty of a felony, according to the trigger ban that went into effect right after Roe v. Wade was overturned.
Duprel said during the recent debate that he is “pro-life” but does not support a national ban on abortion, adding that he thinks his morality should not make decisions for other people. Johnson said he believes a fetus in the womb is a life and deserves protection.
