The economy is the single most important issue for voters, according to the first results from a new Newsweek tracker poll that asked Americans their views on key 2024 election issues.
That's one of the central findings from Newsweek's sentiment tracker carried out by Redfield & Wilton Strategies under a new partnership announced on July 14.
The tracker will chart opinions on a range of issues affecting voters' daily lives, engaging readers on topics including the war in Ukraine, healthcare, gun control, inflation and public education, among others.
The survey was conducted on July 15 and July 16 among 1,500 eligible U.S. voters.
"I would like to draw attention to the nuances of public opinion that we can already see in this first poll," said Philip van Scheltinga, director of research at Redfield & Wilton Strategies.
"For instance, 62 percent of Americans say they are proud, rather than ashamed, of their country's history, and 70 percent believe children in schools should be taught to feel proud of their country," he said.
"At the same time, 57 percent think institutional racism still exists in the United States. These figures indicate a far more complex public opinion landscape than the bipolar one we may be led to believe otherwise exists," van Scheltinga said.
"Likewise, we see pluralities saying children should be taught about same-sex couples, but a majority saying children should not be taught that it is possible to change one's gender, again indicating the public's tendency not to perceive issues (in this instance, LGBT issues) in the unified, box-like fashion that political activists would perhaps like them to," he added.
Here are some key results from Newsweek's tracker poll. Due to rounding, some percentages may add up to 99 or 101.
Economy Is the Key Issue
The U.S. economy is the biggest issue to voters with 60 percent of poll respondents saying the economy was the most important issue facing the country right now.
Healthcare was the next most important issue at 33 percent, followed by immigration at 28 percent and policing and crime at 24 percent. Abortion and the environment were tied at 21 percent.
Most voters—48 percent—said they were worse off now than they were three years ago. A further 29 percent said they were better off and 22 percent said they were about the same.
Forty-four percent said their financial situation has worsened in the last year, compared to 28 percent who said it had improved and another 28 percent who said it had stayed the same.
Control of Borders
The Redfield & Wilton Strategies poll found dissatisfaction with the U.S. government's approach to illegal immigration as 28 percent of respondents said they were very dissatisfied and 22 percent said they were dissatisfied.
Just 8 percent said they were very satisfied with the U.S. government's approach, while 11 percent said they were satisfied and 24 percent were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.
When respondents were asked if they believed the U.S. had control over its borders, 62 percent said the country did not. Twenty-five percent said the U.S. did control its borders and 13 percent didn't know.
'Downtown America' Less Safe
A majority of voters surveyed said that they believed "downtown America" was less safe than it was five years ago.
Thirty-eight percent of respondents said downtown America was less safe and 21 percent said it was much less safe—a total of 59 percent—while 10 percent said it was much more safe and 12 percent said it was safe.
That's a total of 22 percent of respondents believing downtown America is safe, while 18 percent said things were about the same. Eight percent answered "don't know."
Nonetheless, a majority of voters said that the neighborhood they live in is safe, with 27 percent strongly agreeing to the premise and 43 percent agreeing—a total of 70 percent.
By contrast, 8 percent disagreed that their neighborhood was a safe place. A further 3 percent strongly disagreed, 17 percent neither agreed nor disagreed and 2 percent didn't know.
Support for the Second Amendment
Support for the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution remains strong, according to the polling, which found that 32 percent of voters strongly support it and 25 percent support it.
The Second Amendment states: "A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."
A further 23 percent said they neither oppose nor support the amendment, while 9 percent are opposed, 6 percent are strongly opposed and 6 percent don't know.
However, 58 percent of voters said that the Second Amendment should not include "the right to own an assault weapon such as a semiautomatic rifle." Another 31 percent said that it should include that right and 12 percent responded "don't know."
Racism, Abortion and Gender
A majority of those surveyed—57 percent—said the statement, "America is still an institutionally racist country today," came closest to their views regarding the issue of racism in the U.S.
Twenty-seven percent opted for the statement, "America was an institutionally racist country but is no longer so," and 16 percent didn't know.
On the highly controversial issue of abortion, voters appeared divided. When asked if they found abortion morally wrong or morally acceptable, 23 percent said it was morally wrong and 28 percent said it was morally acceptable.
However, 48 percent said it depends on the circumstances, while 6 percent didn't know.
When it came to gender, 57 percent of respondents said children should not be taught that it is possible to change gender, while 53 percent said that should be taught and 20 percent didn't know.
However, 48 percent agreed that children should be taught about same-sex couples, while 39 percent of respondents disagreed and 13 percent answered "don't know."
Ukraine and China
The Redfield & Wilton Strategies poll also found that American voters had mixed views on support for Ukraine, which is continuing to fight Russia after that country launched an invasion in February 2022.
When asked if the defense of Ukraine is in the U.S. national interest, 18 percent strongly agreed and 29 percent agreed. A further 11 percent disagreed, 8 percent strongly disagreed and 24 percent said they neither agreed nor disagreed. Ten percent answered "don't know."
When it came to U.S. support for Ukraine, 28 percent said the U.S. had provided too much, 22 percent said it was too little, 29 percent said U.S. support was the right amount and 21 percent didn't know.
There appeared to be greater consensus on China, with 39 percent of voters saying that country is "the greatest threat to the United States and its interests."
China was followed by Russia at 27 percent, North Korea at 10 percent and others recording single digits, while 14 percent of respondents answered "don't know."
