2026 Eye Toward Midterm Elections: Top Voter Concerns

As the new year begins, and voter attention is shifting toward the 2026 midterm elections, Occam has analyzed how the top issues Americans identify as most important have evolved since November 2024. The chart below highlights the top eight issues, with jobs and the economy, inflation, and immigration continuing to top voters’ concerns.
Jobs and the economy overtook inflation in July 2025, signaling a shift in voter priorities from immediate price pressures to longer-term economic stability and job security. By late December 2025, 23.4% of voters named Jobs and the Economy as their top concern, compared with 21.3% for Inflation.
Immigration remained the third most commonly selected issue for much of the year, peaking at 17.3% in August before declining to 12.7% by December. Healthcare rose steadily over the same period, reaching 12.5% in December and narrowing the gap with Immigration. This increase coincides with the expiration of enhanced ACA tax credits, a change that may influence how some voters think about healthcare affordability and access.
Occam will be tracking key races and top concerns through the midterm elections.
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