In the 2022 elections, abortion became a top-tier issue after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision that protected the right to abortion. Although abortion remains a top issue to many voters the economy is the most important issue influencing voters in 2024.

According to our new KSTP/SurveyUSA poll, 28% of “likely voters” cited the economy as the most important issue, followed by immigration at 15% and health care at 12%.

“People are experiencing the consequences of runaway inflation every single day,” said Republican strategist Andy Brehm, who says he’s not surprised the economy ranks first among issues. “I mean, prices are wildly higher than they were before President [Joe] Biden took office.”

Former DFL Party Chair Brian Melendez agrees it’s a big issue but says the economy has improved in some ways over the past year — although work remains to be done curbing inflation.

“We’re better than things were a year ago, but the fact is people are experiencing it in a different way, even though the numbers are good,” Melendez said. “Unemployment is in a good place. They’re feeling like when they go to the grocery store they’re paying more.”

Brehm says he’s not surprised immigration ranks as the second most important issue.

“If the United States doesn’t have its sovereignty — which is being jeopardized by what we’re seeing at the southern border and people flooding into this country illegally — we’re not going to have a country, period,” Brehm said. “So to me, that is a major issue.”

Taxes (10%), abortion (7%) and gun control (7%) round out the top six issues cited by voters.

Melendez says he thinks abortion will rise higher as an issue as we get closer to Election Day.

“If you’ve got a government that wants to take away a woman’s right to choose, that wants to take away the basic decisions about how you run your life, it’s not a free government,” he says. “I think people are going to respond to that, and come November, abortion will become a much bigger issue.”

You can see more political analysis and more of our KSTP/SurveyUSA poll on “At Issue with Tom Hauser” at 10 a.m. Sunday.

View the full survey results below: