'Bread And Butter' Issues Rise To Top Among Dem Voters

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 12/17/2025) Democrats appear to have picked the wrong issues to campaign on in 2024. Abortion, women's rights and voters' rights didn't move the needle, but Ed Sarpolus of Target Insyght said that based on his polling from this week, Dems shouldn't have that problem this year.

The numbers he's seeing are quite clear: “Inflation” and “the cost of living” have rocketed to the top among the 501 Democratic voters he contacted for a recent poll.

Sarpolus asked 501 Democrats in a poll conducted Monday-Wednesday to pick their top three issues going into the 2026 election year. The margin of error is +/- 4.5%.

“Inflation” and “the cost of living” were No. 1 with 21.55% of the voters. Another 61.48% listed it among their top three issues.

Clocking in at No. 2 was “cost, access to quality health care," which was the top issue for 13.55% of voters and among the top three issues for 38.32% of Democratic voters.

Issue No. 3 was the “economy in general," with 11.55% ranking it as their top issue and 32.93% listing it among their top three.

“It's about me, not you," said Sarpolus. "That's what we're finding. Michigan Democrats cannot afford to make the issue mistake they did in 2024. They could lose the race for governor, attorney general, secretary of state and the U.S. Senate seat that they hold now.

“They have no incumbent to give them coattails so if they don't pick the right issue, they could lose everything,” he said. “Voters want candidates to focus on bread & butter issues that impact them and their family's quality of life first. Their ability to get by day-to-day and provide for their families. The bare necessities of food, health and wellbeing; with the dollars, '...to keep their heads above water.', as the old saying goes."