2020 Poll Reveals Voter Attitudes on Immigration, Taxes, Economy and More

A newly released Gallup poll ranking satisfaction across a range of issues reveals where the political focus will be in 2020. We grouped these issues into satisfied and unsatisfied categories and then into three buckets: issues conservatives tend to focus on and offer solutions to, issues liberals tend to focus on and offer solutions to, and issues with equal attention. This grouping reveals issues where the left and right are succeeding, areas where they’re out of touch with voter priorities, and areas that require improvement. In general, Americans are satisfied with the state of the economy, national security, economic opportunity, and the military, and unsatisfied with healthcare, the size of government, taxes, inequality, corporate influence and race issues.

A majority of the issues Americans are satisfied with are issues conservatives focus on

As we can see below, a majority of Americans are net satisfied with issues that conservatives tend to prioritize, including the military, economic opportunity, national security, the US economy, and religion.

Issue Category Satisfied Unsatisfied
military strength 81% 13%
economic opportunity 72% 27%
national security 68% 27%
state of US economy 68% 29%
influence of religion in US culture 59% 38%

 

Democrats are wasting time with a majority of Americans on gay rights and women’s issues

Only two issues people are satisfied with are issues liberals tend to focus more on: position of women, and gay rights.

Issue Category Satisfied Unsatisfied
position of women in US 63% 36%
gay rights 56% 40%

 

The fact that people are net satisfied, indicates that while liberals continue to make gay rights and women’s issues central themes, large majorities of Americans don’t believe changes are necessary.

These issues may play well with a smaller demographics, but focusing on these issues in debates, ads, and legislation, instead of issues most Americans want addressed, is actually a losing strategy.

Top conservative issues Americans are unsatisfied with are moral issues, immigration, and taxes

We can also see that many of the issues where Americans are unsatisfied are issues where conservatives focus more than liberals in terms of talking about these issues and offering solutions:

Issue Category Satisfied Unsatisfied
government in general 43% 57%
size of government 38% 62%
taxes 37% 60%
level of immigration in 2020 35% 57%
morals and ethics in US culture 32% 68%
Top liberal issues Americans are unsatisfied with are poverty, campaign finance, and healthcare

We can see that the top issues people are unsatisfied with where liberals tend to offer more solutions are all domestic non-military issues. Poverty, campaign finance laws, and affordable healthcare receive some of the lowest levels of satisfaction as shown below.

Issue Category Satisfied Unsatisfied
wealth inequality 43% 56%
gun policies 42% 55%
corporate power and influence 41% 58%
race issues 36% 58%
affordable healthcare 37% 60%
campaign finance laws 23% 53%
poverty and homelessness 22% 75%

This demonstrates among issues liberals tend to offer solutions to, issues like power distribution and poverty remain areas for improvement. Of course there are conservative, Republican and libertarian types who also address issues like campaign finance and healthcare, but in general the loudest voices in the arena are on the far left.

The remaining issues Americans are unsatisfied with are non-partisan issues or issues where conservatives and liberals offer equal attention, albeit different solutions. These issues are abortion policies and public education.

Issue Category Satisfied Unsatisfied
policies on abortion 32% 58%
public education 35% 63%

 

If conservatives pick a few of these issues to address, make Americans feel heard, acknowledge the government policies that contribute to these issues, and offer legitimate solutions, they may be able to flip those unsatisfied views to satisfied.

The most quantifiable unsatisfied issues for conservatives to address are public education reform, reducing corporate influence, and healthcare. Conservatives need to speak out more with solutions in these areas. At a minimum, conservative candidates, elected officials, and leaders, should be talking about these issues regularly so that Americans feel their dissatisfaction is noted. In next week’s post, we’ll cover what we see as one of the biggest policy opportunities for conservatives in 2020.