Most Important Issue Facing the Country (December 2023)

Most Important Issue Facing the Country (December 2023)

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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]"
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categoryTotal
Inflation/rising prices16%
The economy12%
Political corruption/leadership11%
Border security8%
Gun control/gun violence7%
Immigration7%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Measurement of Party ID for this figure is based on two questions. First, respondents were asked whether they consider themselves to be a Democrats, Republicans, independents, other, or not sure. Those who responded that they are independents or "other" were then asked if they lean toward either the Democrats or Republicans. If they indicated that they lean toward one party or the other, they are considered Democrats or Republicans for the purposes of this figure. Only "pure" independents or members of a third party who indicate that they have no preference for Democrats vis-a-vis Republicans are considered independents. Respondents who answered that they are "not sure" for either of the two aforementioned questions are not incorporated into this figure.
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CategoryDemocratIndependentRepublican
Inflation/rising prices12%23%17%
The economy11%13%13%
Political corruption/leadership10%15%11%
Border security0%4%16%
Gun control/gun violence13%2%2%
Immigration2%9%11%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Party identification is calculated according to the PID7 variable, a seven point scale of party identification.
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CategoryLean DemocratNot very strong DemocratStrong Democrat
Inflation/rising prices8%18%12%
The economy6%9%14%
Political corruption/leadership18%3%10%
Border security0%1%0%
Gun control/gun violence5%19%13%
Immigration3%2%1%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Party identification is calculated according to the PID7 variable, a seven point scale of party identification.
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CategoryLean RepublicanNot very strong RepublicanStrong Republican
Inflation/rising prices10%21%19%
The economy12%12%13%
Political corruption/leadership19%2%10%
Border security20%8%17%
Gun control/gun violence3%2%2%
Immigration9%14%10%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Ideology is measured on a scale of 1-7, with 1 corresponding to "extremely liberal", 7 corresponding to "extremely conservative, and 4 corresponding to "in the middle." For the purposes of this table, respondents who placed themselves at or between points 1 and 3 on the scale are considered "liberal," respondents who placed themselves at point 4 on the scale are considered "moderate," and respondents who placed themselves at or between points 5 and 7 on the scale are considered conservative.
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CategoryLiberalsModeratesConservatives
Inflation/rising prices12%21%15%
The economy11%12%13%
Political corruption/leadership10%8%12%
Border security1%3%15%
Gun control/gun violence10%11%2%
Immigration1%4%13%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Ideology is measured on a scale of 1-7, with 1 corresponding to "extremely liberal", 7 corresponding to "extremely conservative, and 4 corresponding to "in the middle." For the purposes of this table, respondents who placed themselves at or between points 1 and 3 on the scale are considered "liberal," respondents who placed themselves at point 4 on the scale are considered "moderate," and respondents who placed themselves at or between points 5 and 7 on the scale are considered conservative.
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CategoryLean liberalSomewhat liberalExtremely liberal
Inflation/rising prices14%16%6%
The economy8%6%19%
Political corruption/leadership19%10%5%
Border security1%2%0%
Gun control/gun violence9%8%13%
Immigration1%0%4%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Ideology is measured on a scale of 1-7, with 1 corresponding to "extremely liberal", 7 corresponding to "extremely conservative, and 4 corresponding to "in the middle." For the purposes of this table, respondents who placed themselves at or between points 1 and 3 on the scale are considered "liberal," respondents who placed themselves at point 4 on the scale are considered "moderate," and respondents who placed themselves at or between points 5 and 7 on the scale are considered conservative.
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CategoryLean conservativeSomewhat conservativeExtremely conservative
Inflation/rising prices14%17%13%
The economy16%15%9%
Political corruption/leadership9%14%10%
Border security5%15%21%
Gun control/gun violence2%3%0%
Immigration8%13%15%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Race is calculated according to the race variable.
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CategoryWhiteBlackHispanic
Inflation/rising prices13%21%19%
The economy11%16%13%
Political corruption/leadership12%7%9%
Border security11%2%4%
Gun control/gun violence4%16%9%
Immigration9%2%4%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Gender is calculated according to the GENDER variable.
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CategoryMaleFemale
Inflation/rising prices15%17%
The economy11%13%
Political corruption/leadership12%9%
Border security9%7%
Gun control/gun violence6%8%
Immigration6%8%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Community type is based on the following question, " Would you say that you live in an urban, suburban, or rural community?"
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CategoryUrbanSuburbanRural
Inflation/rising prices18%14%18%
The economy13%12%10%
Political corruption/leadership9%11%13%
Border security5%8%10%
Gun control/gun violence7%7%5%
Immigration6%7%10%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Age is calculated according to the AGEG variable.
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Category18-2930-4445-6465+
Inflation/rising prices20%16%18%9%
The economy13%16%12%7%
Political corruption/leadership5%8%14%13%
Border security1%1%12%13%
Gun control/gun violence4%8%4%12%
Immigration5%5%6%12%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Education is calculated according to the EDUC variable.
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CategoryNo HSHigh school graduateSome college2-year4-yearPost-grad
Inflation/rising prices6%20%16%15%17%9%
The economy21%13%12%15%9%10%
Political corruption/leadership12%8%15%9%10%13%
Border security10%9%7%7%7%8%
Gun control/gun violence26%6%4%6%7%6%
Immigration9%5%8%9%6%6%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Religiosity is calculated according to the IMPORT variable.
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CategoryExtremely importantSomewhat importantNot very importantNot at all important
Inflation/rising prices18%13%18%14%
The economy9%17%15%8%
Political corruption/leadership10%13%8%12%
Border security10%6%8%3%
Gun control/gun violence7%6%5%9%
Immigration7%8%3%5%
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    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today? [Randomize]" Fundamentalism is calculated according to the LITERAL variable.
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CategoryThe Bible is the actual word of God and is to be taken literally, word for word.The Bible is the word of God but not everything in it should be taken literally, word for word.The Bible is a book written by men and is not the word of God.Don't know.
Inflation/rising prices16%16%13%27%
The economy13%13%10%4%
Political corruption/leadership8%11%15%8%
Border security10%9%2%4%
Gun control/gun violence8%5%8%4%
Immigration9%7%4%8%

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