What are the key issues for voters in swing states that could decide the election?

All eyes will be on key swing states as votes are counted in the matchup between Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump.

Both candidates traveled to seven key swing states—Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin—and worked to reach and connect with swing voters on the issues that resonate most with them.

While voters in these battleground states share the same concerns as the rest of Americans, there are some issues that are of greatest concern to their residents: The economy is a key issue for voters, and Election Day is just days away.

This is the economy

“Problem No. 1 is the same as always, which is the economy. And, of course, economics has several dimensions. We have growth rates, we have unemployment, we have consumer confidence and … of course inflation,” said Todd Belt, director of George Washington University’s political management program.

When it comes to the economy, 44% of Americans say they are not as well off now as they were when President Joe Biden took office, the most negative showing on this issue in the data since 1986, according to recent ABC News/Ipsos poll.

Moreover, although inflation has fallen and employment is high, these gains have not affected most people: 59% say the economy is getting worse, more than twice as many say it is getting better (23%). And among registered voters who say the economy is worsening, Trump leads Harris by a huge 53-point margin, 74-21%.

An analysis of 538 polls found that virtually all swing states view the economy as a top issue for voters—some for different reasons. However, Belt said the economy is the “number one issue no matter where you go.”

Nevada’s economy is uniquely dependent on the hospitality industry, making the economy a top issue for voters in the state. Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, is home to about 75% of the state’s population, as well as a significant number of hospitality workers. It’s likely because of these factors that Nevada voters rated the economy as the most important issue facing their state, according to survey analysis from 538.

Housing prices, fracking, immigration

Housing affordability is another important issue for voters in swing states like Nevada and North Carolina, where home prices have risen sharply.

According to the American Community Survey, the median home price in North Carolina rose from $193,200 in the 2017-2019 survey to $280,600 in the 2020-2022 survey, the seventh-highest percentage increase in the country. And in Nevada, the home value index has risen 34 percent since the start of Biden’s presidency, slightly faster than the rate of growth nationwide. according to Zillow.

The cost of groceries, gas and housing is resonating with voters in several swing states, Belt added.

“The issue of economics, of course, is related to the affordability of life. It’s what we call, you know, a kitchen table, wallet problem,” Belt said. “This applies to food, gasoline. And of course, the thing people comment on the most is housing costs.”

In the battleground of Pennsylvania, fracking is a big local issue with both economic and environmental implications.

Immigration This is another key issue for many voters in swing states, especially in the Sun Belt. Arizona, a border state, was a regular campaign stop for Trump and Harris, who often discussed immigration issues while there. It also concerns voters in Nevada, a state where Hispanics and Latinos are the largest minority group, making up 28% of the population.

“People have (immigration) on their mind because the media is presenting it as a big problem,” Belt said.

Trump used immigration to take a swipe at Harris’ immigration policies, placing all the blame on her for the situation at the border as he clings to his inaccurate reference to her as a “border czar.”

Immigration is often linked to other key issues, such as crime, Belt noted, a tactic Trump used during the campaign.

Despite Because U.S. citizens commit crimes at higher rates than undocumented immigrants, Trump called them “criminals” who would “cut your throat” during a campaign stop in Wisconsin in September. Additionally, while in Tempe, Arizona, last week, Trump criticized the Biden-Harris administration for its handling of the border. calling United States “garbage can for the world.”

Abortion

Abortion has become a key voter issue since the Supreme Court in 2022 overturned Roe v. Wade, which secured a constitutional right to abortion. The Supreme Court decision, in which Trump often boasts of his role, is an issue that Democrats have seized on this cycle.

“Democrats believe this is the kryptonite for Republicans in the last two elections,” Belt said.

Abortion remains a unifying issue among Democrats, who were able to stave off a “red wave” during the 2022 midterm elections by centering their messaging around it. Harris’ campaign says reproductive freedom remains a top issue among swing voters.

In several battleground states, including Arizona and Nevada, electoral measures it would amend state constitutions to include specific language protecting or recognizing abortion rights for all voters.

Polls show abortion is a more important issue in Wisconsin than it is nationwide. survey analysis 538. The legal status of abortion has been hotly contested in the state since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, leading to a 15-month period during which no legal abortions were performed in the state under an 1849 law criminalizing abortion. abortions.

Despite other issues on swing states’ radar, Belt noted that both Harris and Trump are working to tie messaging to the economy.

“You’ll see candidates like Donald Trump talking about how immigration affects the economy and jobs,” he said. “So there are ancillary issues that they’re trying to push, but they also tie them to the economy because they know that’s what voters care about most.”