Sources

Methodology and sources

Issue rankings combine the share naming each issue as most important, the share calling it crucial or extremely important, and the vote margin among those voters. Exit and voter-poll figures are preliminary and may shift as final weights are applied; seat counts reflect AP calls as of November 8, 2026. Program costs other than the reported CBO estimate are not scored here.

Sources:

• Gallup: The Issues Voters Say Matter Most This Midterm (Oct 29, 2026)
• Election Central: 2026 Exit Polls: Why Republicans Lost the Midterm Elections (summarizes AP, ABC, Fox, CBS, CNN, NORC, USC, Reuters, Pew data)
• NBC News Exit Poll
• AP Voter Poll: How Trump and Republicans lost the 2026 midterms (via KSAT)
• AP Voter Poll: Early takeaways (via ClickOrlando)
• AP Voter Poll: How key demographic groups voted (PBS NewsHour)
• CBS News exit poll results
• CBS News election updates
• 2026 midterm results master guide
• Yahoo News live updates (AP seat counts, state trifectas)
• Northeastern Global News: key House and Senate races
• KFF Health Tracking Poll: health costs and expiring ACA credits (Jan 29, 2026)
• States Newsroom on the KFF poll
• KFF Health News on ACA premiums (via Pulse) (Mar 2026)
• Townhall on Fox News poll trust gaps (Feb 2026)
• AllSides: Four Issues Defining the 2026 Midterms (cites The Economist on data-center proximity)
• Echelon Insights: August 2026 Verified Voter Omnibus
• Bondi Partners: tariffs and midterm mobilization (Aug 2026)