Issue priorities reflect deeper values

Voters’ issue priorities are shaped by their values. In the weeks leading up to Election Day, we explored those values in partnership with our longtime data collection partner the Logit Group, surveying voters across the seven battleground states. Our analysis revealed that:  

• Inflation and housing costs—the most critical concerns across all voters—reinforced Trump's message of restoring economic security.

• Crime and immigration played into Trump's emphasis on personal safety and border control.

• Reproductive rights remained secondary to economic stability for most voters.

In the survey we used a MaxDiff analysis to uncover which issues voters cared about and how much those issues mattered. The economy, for instance, emerged not just as the top priority but as far more critical than other concerns.

Here’s the key point for the future: campaigns must address not just what voters prioritize but why they prioritize it. Understanding the values underneath is essential work for shaping a policy agenda and crafting messages that resonate.