Quarterly Update
A message from Pew Research Center President Michael Dimock · Subscribe ↗
Dear readers,
With the 2022 midterm elections a little more than a week away, Americans are once again being inundated with polls and analyses aimed at projecting which party will control Congress – and what that might mean for the nation. At Pew Research Center, we like polling and data analysis as much as anyone. But rather than predicting the outcome of the vote, we want to put the vote in perspective. That means focusing on what is happening in people’s lives, how they’re viewing major issues and what priorities they have for our government.
There’s no question that elections are essential for democracy. But they’re blunt measures when it comes to understanding the hopes and concerns of millions of Americans. Campaigns stoke division and fear, reduce complex issues into black and white, cause lots of Americans to tune out, and leave many voters feeling that they only have two options, neither of which represents their views and values.
We’re as curious as anyone about what happens on Nov. 8. But our goal is to enrich our understanding of the election beyond the so-called “horse race.” We hope you find our work during this election season informative and meaningful.
All my best,
Michael Dimock
President, Pew Research Center
Midterm Voting Intentions Are Divided, Economic Gloom Persists
The economy is clearly the top issue for voters. Around eight-in-ten (79%) say it is very important to their vote this year – the highest share among 18 issues included in an October survey. The public continues to take a dim view of current economic conditions, with particular concern about inflation.
When it comes to other campaign issues, abortion increased markedly in importance among Democratic voters after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June. A Pew Research Center report, also released in June, explored Americans’ complex views on abortion, finding that relatively few people on either side of the debate take an absolutist view.
The state of the political parties in 2022
Partisan hostility continues to rise in the U.S., and in some cases is getting more personal. Growing shares in each party now describe those in the other party as more closed-minded, dishonest, immoral and unintelligent than other Americans. There are also signs of frustration with the two-party system: 39% of U.S. adults say they often wish there were more political parties to choose from.
- The 2021 political typology: Even in a polarized era, deep divisions in both partisan coalitions
- Quiz: Which of our nine political typology groups is your best match?
Key facts about Black, Asian and Hispanic voters
Ahead of the midterms, Pew Research Center recently examined the population size and demographic characteristics of U.S. eligible voters who are Black, Asian American or Hispanic, including how their numbers differ by state.
How Americans are staying informed as Election Day approaches
Americans’ pathways to news and information are ever evolving. Half of Americans at least sometimes get news from social media, including a growing share who are getting it from TikTok. Meanwhile, a recent Pew Research Center study of alternative social media platforms – including Parler and Truth Social – found a small but satisfied community of news consumers on these sites.
