NBC Poll: 7 in 10 Americans Place High Priority on Upcoming Midterms

Voter interest for the midterm elections (Nov. 8) has reached an all-time, according to a new NBC News poll.

In the NBC News survey — which chronicled the responses of 1,000 registered voters nationwide over a five-day period (Oct. 14-18) — 57% of respondents characterized the upcoming November elections as the "most important" of midterms, compared to 2018, 2014, 2010, 2006, etc. 

Also, 70% of respondents gave the 2022 midterms a "9" or "10" grade (on a 10-point scale), when asked to assess the importance of this election — the highest percentage ever for a midterms survey, according to NBC News.

The party breakdown with the above figure: 78% of Republicans reported "high" interest in the midterms, compared to 69% among Democrats.

The poll findings also reveal plenty of loathing between Republicans and Democrats, with 80% of respondents believing the opposing political party "poses a threat" to America, moving forward.

"We know that many voters will be casting ballots with anger on their minds," said Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt of Hart Research Associates, who conducted this survey with Republican Bill McInturff and his team at Public Opinion Strategies. "We just don’t know which side will be angrier."

Other highlights from the NBC News political survey:

• President Joe Biden's approval rating remains steady at 45%. However, among independents from battleground states, the president's approval rating is primarily in the 30s, percentage-wise.
• For the "likely voters" surveyed by NBC News, 48% of respondents prefer to have a Republican-controlled Congress next year, and 47% want to see the Democrats remain in majority control.
• The most favorable generic response involved voters rallying behind a candidate — regardless of political affiliation — who supports "lowering health care costs and prescription drug prices."
• The second-highest generic response: A candidate who "supports funding the police and providing them the resources and training they need to protect their communities."
• Among the respondents who identify as Democrats, the Republicans being a "threat to democracy" ranked as the greatest future worry for a third consecutive NBC News poll.
• Among the respondents who identify as Republicans, "jobs and the economy" ranked as the most prominent concern, moving forward.

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