Polls show that immigration and the economy top voters' lists of concerns, followed by threats to democracy, crime, the environment, health care, political extremism and abortion.
The economy and immigration are issues that favor Republicans in this election cycle: A recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found that more voters believe former President Donald Trump would be able to handle them compared to Vice President Harris — though he holds a 7-point lead on immigration compared to just 4 points on the economy.
Many voters are also highly motivated by women's reproductive rights, which have been a top priority and sort of litmus tests for Democrats since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
Harris has also made reproductive rights an issue in this election: $154 million has been spent on messaging around abortion, almost exclusively from Democratic groups, since after Super Tuesday, the unofficial start of the general election this year.
Harris is trusted more on this issue than Trump is on the economy and immigration, and Democrats have won every time it’s been on the ballot since 2022.
It’s not just about women. College-educated white men also favor Harris for her handling of abortion rights. That’s a group Trump won narrowly in 2020, according to exit polls, but who are leaning toward Harris now.
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