Florida’s Primary Day. These are the top issues for Floridians as we head to the polls
Bottom Line: Elections have consequences. For many candidates today, marks the end of the line. For many winners, it means that the campaigning is only about to ramp up for the general election. For many non-partisan races today will prove to be decisive. For those who didn’t vote early, they’ll go to the polls today and here’s what’s likely on their minds.
Recent survey work by Survey USA studied the top issues for Floridians in advance of the primaries and here’s what they found.
Top 5 issues:
- Immigration: 25%
- Economy: 22%
- Education: 16%
- National Security: 12%
- Environment: 8%
On one hand it might be surprising that national issues are among the most important for Floridians as we vote in mostly state and local races. On another hand, it’s perhaps endemic, of even local races often being a proxy on President Trump and his views. We do see a significant spilt in the importance of issues based on ideology. For those who identify as being conservative the top three issues are:
Immigration, Economy & National Security – in that order
For those who ID as being liberal these are the top three
Education, Economy, Immigration
And for moderates...
Education, Economy, Immigration
Two points are clear. Immigration and economic concerns are top issues for all voters regardless of political persuasion, so candidates who’re strongest on those issues in the minds of voters should be best positioned today. Something else that’s notable is that a “moderate” voter looks an awful lot like a Democrat in this research. That may matter less today as non-party affiliated voters won’t be deciding who will represent Democrats and Republicans in November, but if it held it could be deceive in many key races in November. In the 2016 cycle the average “moderate” or independent voter in Florida broke towards Republicans. If the opposite happens this year, it’ll be good news for Democrats in a little more than two months.