Quinnipiac Survey: What Do Voters Mean When They Say Their Top Issue Is ‘Democracy’?

If you haven’t already, read Jeff Blehar’s piece on the confusing polling environment. Depending on the pollster, Donald Trump’s lead over Joe Biden is either stable and growing or Biden’s moribund performance in the polls has begun to recover. At this atypically early outset of the general-election campaign season, head-to-head polling may be indicative but hardly predictive. The voters who will decide this election just aren’t paying much attention to it yet. Still, if polling on the candidates isn’t especially valuable at this stage of the race, the same thing cannot be said for the issues that will determine their votes — at least, to the extent issues will prove determinative at all in 2024.

Quinnipiac University’s latest survey is useful in assessing voters’ priorities. When Quinnipiac pollsters asked respondents what they believe is “the most urgent issue facing the country,” 20 percent said the economy, and another 20 percent cited immigration. But “preserving democracy” beat them both out at 24 percent.

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.

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If you haven’t already, read Jeff Blehar’s piece on the confusing polling environment. Depending on the pollster, Donald Trump’s lead over Joe Biden is either stable and growing or Biden’s moribund performance in the polls has begun to recover. At this atypically early outset of the general-election campaign season, head-to-head polling may be indicative but hardly predictive. The voters who will decide this election just aren’t paying much attention to it yet. Still, if polling on the candidates isn’t especially valuable at this stage of the race, the same thing cannot be said for the issues that will determine their votes — at least, to the extent issues will prove determinative at all in 2024.

Quinnipiac University’s latest survey is useful in assessing voters’ priorities. When Quinnipiac pollsters asked respondents what they believe is “the most urgent issue facing the country,” 20 percent said the economy, and another 20 percent cited immigration. But “preserving democracy” beat them both out at 24 percent.

About the Author

Noah Rothman

Noah Rothman is a senior writer at National Review. His third book, Blood and Progress: A Century of Left-Wing Violence, was published by Hachette in May 2026.