Midterms 2022
If the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, it would enrage a majority of Democrats ahead of the 2022 midterms, especially women who largely view their access to abortions as a constitutional right.
Reuters asked 2,001 Democrats their opinions and priorities heading into the 2022 midterm elections. Here’s what the polling shows:
A gender gap on abortion. Women are more likely than men to support abortion rights, and they’re much more likely to be enraged if they lose those rights.
A determination to level the playing field. Democrats are widely concerned about racial inequality, and there is near-unanimous support for tax hikes on the wealthy.
A relative lack of outrage on climate change. Most Democrats think that climate change should be a top priority for the government. But other issues, like voting rights and abortion, are more likely to drive political engagement.
Related Who are the Republicans?
They’re united in their resistance to immigrants and criticism of the Biden economy, but they face a generational divide.
Trigger points
Political scientists will tell you that people are more likely to vote when they are angry. In fact, researchers at University of Michigan have found that anger is more likely to trigger political action than other emotions like anxiety or enthusiasm. So what makes Democrats angry?
Share who said they would be very angry if the U.S. government acted in opposition to their views on...
Party avg. 
Difference
All Democrats
Democrats’ trigger points
Potential policy changes around voting rights, racial inequality and abortion are most likely to stir Democratic voters. Immigration and job creation were the issues least likely to inspire anger.
Women are fired up on the issue of abortion rights.
Democratic women overwhelmingly support abortion rights, and Reuters/Ipsos polling shows that they are much more likely than men to be triggered by the debate. Among white Democratic women with a college degree, 66% said they would be “very angry” if the government acts in opposition to their views on abortion.
Men rank abortion much lower
Abortion rights ranked sixth among potential policy changes likely to make men angry. They showed stronger feelings about voting rights, racial inequality, COVID-19, climate change and election integrity.
A generational divide
Political issues appear to hit Democrats differently, depending on their age.
Racial inequality drives young Democrats
A majority of Democrats between 18-34 say that minorities are not treated fairly in the United States, and they are more likely to be angered by threats to racial equality issues than older Democrats.
While older Democrats felt more strongly about voter rights and COVID-19.
Education
Democrats with a college degree are more passionate about voting rights, abortion rights and climate change.
Where people live
In the suburbs, Democrats are especially triggered by the debate around abortion, COVID-19 and climate change. In urban areas, Democrats are more likely to be angered by racial inequality and police reform.
Unifying issues
Democrats are deeply aligned in political ideology, including many issues that progressive leaders have championed. Large majorities of Democrats support tax hikes on the wealthy, stronger firearms restrictions and elevating the environment as a top national priority. There is less consensus over immigration and government regulation.
Where Democrats are most aligned
Agree
Disagree
Neutral
The wealthiest Americans should pay higher tax rates
The 2020 election was stolen from Donald Trump
The U.S. should raise taxes on the wealthy and corporations to pay for clean energy technology
The government should have a major role in providing healthcare insurance
It is too easy to access guns in the United States
Climate change should be the top concern for every country around the world
Job creation and economic growth should be top priorities for our leaders
The people who gathered at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 were mostly peaceful, law-abiding Americans
The U.S. government is not doing enough to help the poor
Inflation is a very big concern for me
White people are currently under attack in this country
Minorities are treated fairly in the United States
It is too easy for women to get abortions in the United States
America must be vigilant against threats to our way of life
It is okay for the U.S. to increase its deficit to pay for new or repaired infrastructure
I trust election officials in my county or town to do their job honestly
Where there's less consensus
Agree
Disagree
Neutral
It should be easier for people to immigrate to the United States
Ensuring personal freedom is more important than protecting the common good
It is worth reducing government regulations on businesses if that helps businesses create jobs in the U.S.
Core beliefs
Democrats are united in their support for vaccine and mask mandates. They also expressed strong support for climate action but were less likely to say they would be angry if the government acted in opposition to those beliefs.
COVID-19
President Biden’s advocacy for mask and vaccine mandates has widespread support within his own party.
Income Inequality
Democrats are unified in their support for raising taxes on the wealthy. They are also largely comfortable with government agencies providing healthcare and propping up the poorest segments of the country.
Climate Change
Most Democrats think climate change should be a top national priority, and a majority of them also think it’s OK to help pay for green initiatives by raising taxes on the wealthy and on corporations.
Socially liberal
There appears to be some disagreement within the Democratic Party when it comes to a variety of social issues. Most Democrats want stronger gun restrictions, police reform, and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. But a minority of Democrats agree with all of those positions.
Takeaways for 2022
The steady decline in President Joe Biden’s popularity may seal his party’s fate next year, when Democrats attempt to hold onto control of Congress. But Democratic candidates still have time to drive up enthusiasm among their core supporters, especially if they focus on the looming challenge to Roe v. Wade in the Supreme Court and press on Democrats’ concerns about racial and economic inequality.
Note
Images and icons from iStock and The Noun Project
Sources
The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online, in English, throughout the United States from Oct. 18-22. The poll gathered responses from 4,430 adults in all, including 2,001 Democrats, 1,591 Republicans and 465 independents. The results have a credibility interval, a measure of precision, of between 2 and 5 percent.
Edited by
Jon McClure, Soyoung Kim
