Republicans Disagree With Donald Trump on What’s Top Election Issue

Republican voters are prioritizing the economy over immigration as their main concern for the 2024 presidential election, showing a significant divergence from former President Donald Trump’s emphasis on border security.
National polling, including data from an Emerson College poll this month, indicates that Republican voters overwhelmingly rank economic issues as their top concern. Despite Trump’s repeated emphasis on the border, the data highlights a growing divide between his priorities and those of his voter base.
For many Republican voters, inflation remains the primary economic issue. Rising costs in essential areas like housing, food and energy have led to a perception among voters that their purchasing power has diminished under the Biden-Harris administration.
The poll confirmed that the economy is the leading concern for Republicans, with nearly 90 percent of respondents placing it as their top issue. Immigration and violent crime also feature prominently but lag behind economic concerns.
Trump’s campaign has continued to promote border security as a primary issue, but the polling suggests that this emphasis may not be fully aligned with what voters find most critical. As Trump has argued that “immigration defines our crisis at the border,” Republican voters appear more focused on addressing financial stability and inflationary pressures​.
Polling in battleground states also aligns with this national trend, with Republican voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin ranking the economy as a critical issue above immigration. CBS News polling supports this finding, noting that the economy is the most influential issue for voters overall and that Trump, the Republican nominee, holds a slight advantage over Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, when voters assess economic management capabilities.
According to the CBS survey conducted between October 23 and 25, Trump leads in voters’ confidence for economic management by a margin of nine points, underscoring the significance of economic issues among his supporters​.
Additionally, the CBS poll explores a significant gender divide, with men overwhelmingly favoring Trump, associating him with strong economic leadership. Conversely, more women support Harris, with many citing her stance on social issues and health care. CBS noted that “women are a full 10 points more likely than men to say that only Kamala Harris has the mental and cognitive health to serve as president,” while Trump’s strong leader image resonated more with men.
This gender divide adds another layer to the candidate preferences, particularly in swing states where the race remains closely contested​.