Poll Finds Concern About Inflation and Strong Support for Progressive Policies on Abortion, Climate Change, Immigration & Making Big Corporations Pay More Taxes

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Massive poll of 12,208 Americans who voted in the 2022 Midterms finds almost two-thirds of voters worry we will no longer have a functioning democracy within 10 years

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, America’s Voice, Climate Power, First Nations Development Institute, The Immigration Hub, Indivisible, Latino Community Foundation, Mi Familia Vota Education Fund, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, RuralOrganizing.org, SEIU, UnidosUS, and Voter Participation Center released findings from the 2022 Midterm Election Voter Poll conducted by African American Research Collaborative (AARC).  

Findings from this poll, which is a critical and necessary check of traditional exit polls, illustrate the vote choices and motivations of people of color and white voters on issues such as the economy, immigration, climate change, abortion, and political extremism in the 2022 midterm elections. 

According to the poll, the cost of living is the most important issue for voters regardless of race, party, or geography, followed by reproductive rights and the cost of health care. While Democrats, as the party in power, received more blame for economic worries, the poll finds voters today remain hopeful about the future and provide majority support for most policies in the first two years of the Biden Administration. Our poll found consistently strong support for protecting abortion rights, addressing climate change, making corporations pay their fair share in taxes, and fair and humane immigration policies, including protecting Dreamers, among all racial and ethnic groups. 

“Based on historical midterm voter behavior and the high rate of inflation, theoretically, Republicans should win by large margins in the Senate, House, and governors races. But the close midterm results demonstrate the Republican Party is out of step with American voters on a wide variety of issues people care about, including abortion access, threats to democracy, immigration, climate change, and other critical issues,” said Henry Fernandez, CEO of AARC. “While this election reflects voters’ concerns about high inflation and the economy, there is no evidence at all that voters are calling for conservative policies.” 

Select national findings from the 2022 Midterm Election Poll: 

  • Voters across the board overwhelmingly support the right to an abortion, protecting Dreamers, combating climate change, and making billionaires and corporations pay their fair share. 
  • Sixty-three percent of Americans believe our democracy is failing and may cease to exist in the next 10 years. Two out of three non-white voters are worried that if Donald Trump runs for President again, he will promote hate and division. 
  • The narrative of a seismic shift in party support among voters of color–and Latino and Black voters in particular–is not supported by the data. The Latino vote has always been dynamic and responsive to outreach. Republicans have regained some ground lost in the last decade, but nearly two-thirds of Hispanics supported Democratic candidates, and 85 percent of Black voters supported Democratic candidates. 
  • Voters across all racial and ethnic groups want Congress to take up protections for Dreamers in the lame duck. By a two-to-one margin, voters say they support Congress taking immediate action to provide permanent legal status to DACA recipients. 
  • Despite high levels of worry, voters reported overall feelings of hopefulness as their number one emotion as they cast their ballots in 2022, which suggests voters are not looking for a dramatic realignment but rather hoping for better days ahead and a full economic recovery. 

“Policymakers need to speak clearly to voters about pocketbook issues like high rents and affordable healthcare while fighting for policies on abortion access, protecting immigrants, and addressing climate change that voters broadly support and care deeply about,” said Fernandez. 

The poll of more than 12,200 Americans who voted also includes data from crucial battleground states, including Florida, Georgia, Texas, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arizona, Pennsylvania, California, Colorado, and Nevada, as well as a national sample. The full array of data can be viewed at https://2022electionpoll.us starting at 5:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, November 8.  

On Wednesday, November 9, at 12:00 p.m. ET, the partners and pollsters will hold a virtual press event to share an analysis of the poll findings. Members of the media can register for the press event at https://register.2022electionpoll.us.  

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About the 2022 Midterm Election Voter Poll 

The 2022 Midterm Voter Election Poll, conducted by the African American Research Collaborative (AARC), is a large-scale poll of Black, Latino, Asian American, Native American, and White voters nationally and in key states and congressional districts sponsored by Planned Parenthood Action Fund, SEIU, UnidosUS, Latino Community Foundation, First Nations Development Institute, Climate Power, The Immigration Hub, Indivisible, Rural Organizing, Voter Participation Center, America’s Voice and Mi Familia Vota Education Fund. The election poll contacted 12,208 people who already have voted or were definitely voting in the final days before the November 2022 election, offering exclusive information about the electorate, including Congressional, Senate and Gubernatorial vote choices, issue priorities, and evaluations of both major parties and what issues motivated voter turnout. The overall poll has a margin of error of 0.9%. The poll also includes data from crucial battleground states, including Florida, Georgia, Texas, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Arizona, Pennsylvania, California, Colorado, and Nevada, as well as a national sample. The full array of data can be viewed on the 2022 Midterm Election Poll website. 

About the African American Research Collaborative 

The African American Research Collaborative (AARC) provides high-quality research and analysis on political interests, motivations, and goals. Our expert team of pollsters, researchers, and analysts have vast experience in polling, political behavior, and issues that affect us all: the economy, health care, education, housing, civil rights, immigration, policing, jobs, grassroots organizing, and social justice.