60% of Americans View Economy as Key Issue, Romney Ahead - Exit Poll

World | November 7, 2012, Wednesday // 01:02
Bulgaria: 60% of Americans View Economy as Key Issue, Romney Ahead - Exit Poll A Colorado voter delivers her family`s ballots to an election volunteer at a mail-in ballot drop-off site for the 2012 US presidential election at the Aurora Government Center in Aurora, Colorado, USA, 06 November 2012. EPA/BGNES

60% of Americans View Economy as Key Issue, Romney Slightly Ahead – Exit Poll60% of voters who cast ballots on Election Day or earlier say the economy is the most important issue in their vote, according to an early CBS News exit poll.

In CBS News/New York Times poll of likely voters taken shortly before the election, Mitt Romney had the edge over President Obama on the question of which candidate would do a better job handling the economy, 51% to 45%.

Seventeen% of voters cited health care as their top issue. Voters were split on the 2010 health care law: 45% wanted to repeal some or all of it, while 47% wanted to expand it or keep it as is. Fifteen% of voters called the deficit their top issue, and 4% cited foreign policy.

While 55% of voters said Mr. Obama's response to Superstorm Sandy had little to no impact on their vote, four in 10 say it was a factor in their vote. Polls showed Mr. Obama received high marks for his response to the storm.

These are early exit polls, and the figures will change as the evening goes on and more data comes in.

Three in four voters said the economy is in bad condition. Thirty-nine% said it is getting better, 31% said it is getting worse, and 28% said it was staying the same. Three in four Obama voters say the economy is getting better, while 59% of Romney voters say it's getting worse. Fifty-two% of voters overall say the nation is on the wrong track, while 46% say it is headed in the right direction.

Asked to compare their family finances to four years ago, 24% of voters said they are better off today, while 34% said they are worse off. Four in 10 say they are about the same. Fifty-three% said the U.S. economic system favors the wealthy, including 77% of Obama voters, while 41% called it fair to most Americans, including 67% of Romney voters.

Voters were split on the most important quality for a candidate. Twenty-nine% said it was that he have a vision for the future, while 28% said it was that he share their values; 20% said it was that the candidate cares about people, and 19% said it was that he is a strong leader.

Fifty-three% of voters say the government is doing too many things better left to businesses and individuals, up 10 points from four years ago. That includes 84% of Romney voters. Forty-one% say the government should do more, including 69% of Obama voters.

Fifty-two% say Romney's policies favor the rich. Thirty-six% say he favors the middle class, while just 2% say he favors the poor.

Only 10% say Mr. Obama favors the rich. Forty-three% say he favors the middle class, while 31% say he favors the poor.

Only 8% say they decided which candidate to support in the last few days. Eleven% decided in October, 79% before that.

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!

World » Be a reporter: Write and send your article
Tags: Paul Ryan, Republican Party, Democratic Party, US, USA, US President, Presidential elections, Mitt Romney, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Republicans, Democrats, Republican, Democrat, US economy

Advertisement
Advertisement
Bulgaria news Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) is unique with being a real time news provider in English that informs its readers about the latest Bulgarian news. The editorial staff also publishes a daily online newspaper "Sofia Morning News." Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency - www.sofianewsagency.com) and Sofia Morning News publish the latest economic, political and cultural news that take place in Bulgaria. Foreign media analysis on Bulgaria and World News in Brief are also part of the web site and the online newspaper. News Bulgaria