Early exit polls released on Election Day pointed to a frustrated electorate, with voters expressing little enthusiasm for Democrats and broad concern about the economy and the country’s direction.
CNN’s polling found that 39% of voters named the economy as their top concern. Democracy came next at 32%, followed by immigration at 14%. Health care, foreign policy and crime were cited by 8%, 4% and 3%, respectively.
The poll also showed that former President Donald Trump had a 38% approval rating and a 62% disapproval rating. But Democrats were not especially popular either. In NBC News exit polling, 43% of respondents viewed Democrats favorably, compared with 38% who said the same of Republicans. Another 16% had a favorable view of neither party.
CBS News found that just 25% of respondents were enthusiastic or satisfied with the country’s direction. Thirty-seven percent said they were dissatisfied, while 38% said they were angry.
Many voters also felt their finances had worsened. Forty-four percent said their financial situation was worse than it had been two years earlier; 38% said it was about the same, and 18% said it had improved. The early results suggested that people across party lines were worried about the cost of everyday essentials, from fuel and groceries to utilities.
The findings echoed a concern raised recently by pollster Frank Luntz: polls may not capture who will actually turn out to vote. Speaking to CNN, he said he was particularly focused on turnout, noting that some Republicans might be less likely to participate or to believe the polls reflected their views.
NBC data analyst Steve Kornacki raised a related question. Even voters unhappy with Trump or the economy, he said, might not necessarily vote for Democrats, given the party’s own unpopularity. That could make it harder for Democrats to take full advantage of what might otherwise be a favorable political environment.
NBC said its exit poll interviewers planned to speak with voters outside more than 450 polling places across 15 states with U.S. Senate contests. The national sample was expected to include more than 75,000 voters, interviewed at polling locations, by phone and online.
