Republican enjoy an advantage over Democrats on most of the issues voters say are important to them in determining how they will vote in November, according to Gallup.
Republicans hold an 11-point advantage, 50 percent to 39 percent, on the economy, which voters rate as their No. 1 issue, and they hold a one-point advantage on “the availability of good jobs.”
The GOP’s 20-point lead on the federal budget deficit is now higher than at any other time during President Obama’s time in office, and Republicans have a 19-point lead on the issue of Islamic militants in Iraq and Syria. They also have an eight-point advantage on the issue of “the way the federal government is working.”
On equal pay for women, which 75 percent of voters rated as “very” or “extremely” important, Democrats have a 38-point advantage and have made the issue a central theme in many of their campaigns.
All six issues were rated above the average of 69 percent in terms of the percentage of voters saying they are “extremely” or “very” important to their vote.
“Republicans lead Democrats on a number of issues of high importance to the electorate, including the economy, the situation in Iraq and Syria, and the federal budget deficit,” wrote Gallup’s Andrew Dugan. “Democrats are not without electoral strengths — equal pay for women is an issue that voters judge as important, and that a wide swath think Democrats are most adept to handle. But as the two parties enter the final campaign stretch, the electoral environment increasingly appears to favor the GOP.”
The GOP has an edge on foreign affairs and taxes as well, which are of average importance to voters.
On issues below average in terms of their importance to voters, Democrats lead on the federal health care law, wealth and income distribution, abortion and contraception, and climate change, while Republicans have an edge on immigration.
Gallup did note that those issues are more important to self-identified Democrats than other voters, meaning they could help in boosting turnout among the party base or at the margins in close races.
The survey of 1,095 registered voters was taken from Sept. 25-30 and has a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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