Report: Political Gridlock and Corruption Most Important Issues to 2020 Voters

The October 2019 Daily Kos/Civiqs Poll asked 1,333 registered voters in the United States about the 2020 presidential elections, invoking the 25th Amendment, national security under Trump, China and the Chinese government, the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, and more.

Americans’ Top Priorities for 2020

Voters’ most important issue heading into the 2020 elections is political gridlock and corruption. One in five Americans (20%) selected corruption as their top issue, with jobs and the economy in second at 14%, and health care, climate change, and immigration tied for third, with 11%.

The focus on corruption and gridlock is high among Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike. It is the single most important issue for Republicans (22%) and Independents (23%), and ranks third for Democrats (16%), behind health care (20%) and climate change (18%).

Beyond their concerns about political affairs, there is almost no overlap in policy priorities between Democrats and Republicans. Notably, approximately zero Republicans mention climate change as their top priority. Other important issues to Republican voters are jobs and the economy (21%), immigration (19%), national security (13%), and guns/gun control (10%). Gun control is also mentioned as the top issue by 9% of Democrats. Another 8% of Democrats, and 6% of Independents see wealth inequality as the top issue, compared to almost no Republicans.

The issue of climate change is the top concern for 18-34 year olds (17%). Thirteen percent of Black voters, but nearly no white voters, rate race relations as their most important priority in the 2020 elections.

President Mike Pence?

If the election for president were held today and Vice President Mike Pence led the Republican ticket, he would lose to all three of the major Democratic candidates. In head-to-head matchups, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren defeats Pence by four percentage points, 46%-42%. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden both lead Pence by three percentage points, 46% to 43%. Mayor Pete Buttigeig is in a dead heat with Vice President Pence at 43% to 43%.

These results are nearly identical to Democratic candidates’ leads over President Trump in the September 2019 Daily Kos/Civiqs poll.

Among the four Democratic candidates polled, Warren has the highest support among political Independents, with 42% of the vote. Sanders performs the best among 18-34 year olds, with 55%.

Asked about the possibility of invoking the 25th Amendment to the Constitution, to remove President Trump from power and establish Vice President Pence as acting president, Americans are opposed by a margin of 49% to 41%.

President Trump and U.S. National Security

A majority of Americans (51%) say that President Trump has weakened U.S. national security during his time in office. The same number (51%) feel less safe with Donald Trump as president, compared to a few years ago.

Americans who watch Fox News feel differently. With near-unanimity, 92% of frequent Fox News viewers believe that President Trump has strengthened U.S. national security, and 90% say that they feel safer with Trump as president.

When dealing with foreign countries, 46% of Americans think that President Trump is primarily looking out for himself, his family, and his business. This includes 80% of Democrats, 44% of Independents, and 7% of Republicans. 41% of Americans, including 84% of Republicans, think that Trump is looking out for the United States as a whole.

China

Two-thirds of Americans (66%) have an unfavorable opinion of China. This sentiment is shared across party lines, including 81% of Republicans, 68% of Independents, and 51% of Democrats.

A large majority of Americans see China as a national security and economic threat to the United States: 77% think that China poses a very or somewhat serious threat to the United States’ national security, and 85% think that China poses a very or somewhat serious economic threat. Republicans view these threats more strongly than Democrats.

Turkey and Syria

The majority of Americans have heard news about Turkey’s invasion of Syria. Over half (54%) disagree with President Trump’s decision to withdraw American troops from the Syrian border. Fully 48% of Independents, and 19% of Republicans, think that Trump should have kept the troops in place. Another 26% of Republicans say that they are unsure about the decision, and that it depends on what happens next.

Civiqs surveyed 1,333 registered voters in the United States from October 19-22, 2019. The survey was conducted online, among selected members of the Civiqs research panel. Sampled individuals were emailed by Civiqs and responded using a personalized link to the survey at civiqs.com. The survey results are weighted by age, race, gender, education, party identification, and region to be representative of the population of registered voters in the United States. The general design effect due to weighting is 1.13. The survey has a margin of error of ±2.9% at the 95% confidence level, accounting for the design effect.