Most Important Problem Facing the Country Today (October 2010)

Most Important Problem Facing the Country Today (October 2010)

  • Table |
  • Share
  • |
    More

    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top 6 problems the public deemed most important.
Loading chart...
categorycolumn-1
The economy34%
Unemployment/jobs18%
Federal spending/national debt13%
Political corruption/leadership9%
Health care5%
Immigration5%
  • Table |
  • Share
  • |
    More

    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top 6 problems the public deemed most important. 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.
Loading chart...
categoryDemocratIndependentRepublican
The economy40%29%32%
Unemployment/jobs24%22%12%
Federal spending/national debt2%15%21%
Political corruption/leadership6%12%8%
Health care9%0%2%
Immigration3%2%8%
  • Table |
  • Share
  • |
    More

    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top 6 problems the public deemed most important. Party identification is calculated according to the PID7 variable, a seven point scale of party identification.
Loading chart...
categoryLean RepublicanNot very strong RepublicanStrong Republican
The economy31%43%28%
Unemployment/jobs6%7%17%
Federal spending/national debt31%17%19%
Political corruption/leadership10%1%9%
Health care0%3%3%
Immigration6%10%7%
  • Table |
  • Share
  • |
    More

    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top 6 problems the public deemed most important. Party identification is calculated according to the PID7 variable, a seven point scale of party identification.
Loading chart...
categoryLean DemocratNot very strong DemocratStrong Democrat
The economy25%44%41%
Unemployment/jobs24%25%24%
Federal spending/national debt3%3%1%
Political corruption/leadership10%4%6%
Health care18%12%5%
Immigration1%2%4%
  • Table |
  • Share
  • |
    More

    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top 6 problems the public deemed most important. 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.
Loading chart...
categoryLiberalsModeratesConservatives
The economy44%37%31%
Unemployment/jobs21%22%15%
Federal spending/national debt1%7%20%
Political corruption/leadership6%7%10%
Health care7%9%2%
Immigration6%5%5%
  • Table |
  • Share
  • |
    More

    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top 6 problems the public deemed most important. The ideology measure is based on respondent self-placement in response to the following question: "On a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 is extremely liberal, 7 is extremely conservative, and 4 is exactly in the middle, where would you place yourself?" The placements are further classified such that 1 is extremely liberal, 2 is very liberal, 3 is somewhat liberal, 4 is moderate, 5 is somewhat conservative, 6 is very conservative, and 7 is extremely conservative.
Loading chart...
categoryLeaning conservativeSomewhat conservativeExtremely conservative
The economy39%28%28%
Unemployment/jobs19%14%13%
Federal spending/national debt12%23%22%
Political corruption/leadership8%9%11%
Health care3%1%2%
Immigration2%7%6%
  • Table |
  • Share
  • |
    More

    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top 6 problems the public deemed most important. The ideology measure is based on respondent self-placement in response to the following question: "On a scale from 1 to 7, where 1 is extremely liberal, 7 is extremely conservative, and 4 is exactly in the middle, where would you place yourself?" The placements are further classified such that 1 is extremely liberal, 2 is very liberal, 3 is somewhat liberal, 4 is moderate, 5 is somewhat conservative, 6 is very conservative, and 7 is extremely conservative.
Loading chart...
categoryLeaning liberalSomewhat liberalExtremely liberal
The economy47%42%35%
Unemployment/jobs16%29%18%
Federal spending/national debt2%0%3%
Political corruption/leadership3%7%15%
Health care10%4%7%
Immigration9%0%5%
  • Table |
  • Share
  • |
    More

    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top 6 problems the public deemed most important. Tea Party identification is based on the following question, also asked in the survey: "Suppose the Tea Party movement organized itself as a political party. When thinking about the next election for Congress, would you vote for the Republican candidate from your district, the Democratic candidate from your district, or the Tea Party candidate from your district?" Those who responded "Republican candidate" are considered Republicans (non-Tea Party movement) and those who responded "Tea Party candidate" are considered Tea Party Republicans.
Loading chart...
categoryDemocratRepublicanTea Party
The economy39%37%29%
Unemployment/jobs25%13%11%
Federal spending/national debt1%20%21%
Political corruption/leadership5%2%15%
Health care8%5%0%
Immigration3%7%7%
  • Table |
  • Share
  • |
    More

    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top 6 problems the public deemed most important. Race is calculated according to the RACE variable.
Loading chart...
categoryWhiteBlackHispanic
The economy29%41%46%
Unemployment/jobs17%23%23%
Federal spending/national debt16%2%8%
Political corruption/leadership11%5%4%
Health care3%10%4%
Immigration7%2%4%
  • Table |
  • Share
  • |
    More

    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top 6 problems the public deemed most important. Gender is calculated according to the GENDER variable.
Loading chart...
categoryMaleFemale
The economy30%38%
Unemployment/jobs19%17%
Federal spending/national debt17%9%
Political corruption/leadership10%7%
Health care3%6%
Immigration5%6%
  • Table |
  • Share
  • |
    More

    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top 6 problems the public deemed most important. Location is based on the following question, "Would you say that you live in an urban, suburban, or rural community?"
Loading chart...
categoryUrbanSuburbanRural
The economy40%32%33%
Unemployment/jobs19%19%15%
Federal spending/national debt12%14%13%
Political corruption/leadership6%8%13%
Health care6%4%5%
Immigration3%6%5%
  • Table |
  • Share
  • |
    More

    Respondents were asked, "What would you say is the most important problem facing this country today?" This figure includes the top 6 problems the public deemed most important. Education is calculated according to the EDUC variable.
Loading chart...
categoryNo high schoolHigh school graduateSome college2-year4-yearPost-grad
The economy27%39%29%27%37%41%
Unemployment/jobs33%18%18%16%16%14%
Federal spending/national debt15%13%12%13%16%17%
Political corruption/leadership0%6%9%30%7%10%
Health care5%6%5%0%3%3%
Immigration8%5%8%3%1%3%

Latest Poll News

June 2023 University of Texas/Texas Politics Project Poll

The June 2023 University of Texas / Texas Politics Project poll included extensive questioning about the performance of state leaders during the 2023 Legislative session.
State on the Wrong Track

For only the second time in UT polling, but the second time in less than a year, a majority of Texas voters say that the state is on the wrong track.
Inflation on Texans' minds

More than half of Texans think the state is on the wrong track, while border security and immigration continue to loom large, especially among Texas Republicans.
June 2021 University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll

The latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll has been released in full. Check out the latest poll page to explore results related to the 87th legislative session, the coronavirus pandemic, assessments of state leaders, and more.
March 2021 Texas Politics Project/UT Energy Institute Poll

The Texas Politics Project just released the results of a March poll developed in conjunction with a team of researchers at the UT Energy Institute that asked dozens of questions about Texans’ experience during the winter storm, their attitudes toward causes and consequences of the storm, their views of, and expectations about, possible policy responses, and their views of how a wide range of actors from their neighbors and utility providers to state political leaders, regulatory bodies, and corporate actors. 

Related Results