A significant majority of voters (80%) believe that national security will be a key issue in this year’s midterm elections due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, threats from China, and cybersecurity. Forty-four percent of respondents feel it will be really significant. Only 14% of voters believe that the midterm elections won’t be concerned with national security.
In the most recent Rasmussen Reports national poll, 42% of respondents said they thought Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had worsened the country’s security situation, 12% said it had improved it, and 38% said it had made little to no difference. Voters had mixed opinions on President Joe Biden’s handling of national security, with 44% giving him a low rating and 38% giving him a high or excellent rating.
Only 22% of people who give Biden outstanding marks for his management of national security believe Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has made the situation in America worse. Comparatively, 56% of those who give Biden bad marks on national security say that the Russian incursion has harmed American security.
Republicans are more likely (55%) than Democrats or unaffiliated people (31%) to think that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has worsened American national security.
Only 14% of Republicans and 30% of those who are not connected with either major party think that Biden is good or excellent when it comes to matters of national security, compared to 72% of Democrats. Biden has a bad assessment for his handling of national security from 79% of Republicans, 44% of unaffiliated people, and 11% of Democrats combined.
National security problems will be at least somewhat significant in the midterm elections, according to voters of all political stripes, including 85% of Republicans, 83% of Democrats, and 75% of independents.
The majority of voters 65 and older are inclined to think that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has harmed American national security.
In terms of race, 41% of other minorities, 30% of black voters, and 45% of white voters think that America’s national security has been harmed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Biden is rated as outstanding or exceptional on national security concerns by 34% of other minorities, 38% of white voters, and 55% of people who identify as black.
Only 15% of employees in the private sector feel that Biden is outstanding on national security, compared to 28% of government workers.
Voters who earn more than $200,000 a year are more likely to give Biden an outstanding rating on handling national security issues, while voters who earn between $30,000 and $50,000 a year are more likely to give Biden a poor rating on handling national security issues.
Voters believe President Biden is more important than specific candidates and topics in the midterm elections by a 6-point majority, and half believe Biden should adjust his strategy if the Republicans win.
On September 14–15, 2022, Rasmussen Reports conducted a poll of 1,000 likely voters in the United States. With a 95% level of confidence, the margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points. Pulse Opinion Research, LLC conducts all fieldwork for Rasmussen Reports surveys.
