In key midterm states, Dem voters move on from abortion, now say protecting democracy top election issue

After Democratic candidates spent the past several months campaigning with laser-focus on abortion, recent polls found Democratic voters in multiple key midterm states say their top concern going into November is "threats to the democracy.

A Marist Poll survey among Pennsylvanians discovered that "preserving democracy" is the top issue to 40% of likely Democrat voters, trumping abortion and inflation. In the state where all eyes are on GOP nominee Dr. Mehmet Oz and Democrat opponent Lt. Gov. John Fetterman as they face off for Pennsylvania's open Senate seat, inflation was the most concerning issue to both Republican and Independent respondents. The poll was conducted among from September 19-22, 2022 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.

The sudden priority shift within the Democratic Party comes after President Joe Biden claimed in several recent speeches that "extreme MAGA Republicans" are "threats to the democracy." Following Biden's remarks, political polls tracking the country's top midterm races began asking voters where these "threats" ranked in importance among abortion and inflation on their list of most concerning issues.