Rising crime is emerging as a top issue for voters this year, adding another glaring political vulnerability to the Democrats’ ledger. A Gallup poll conducted last month found concern about crime at its highest level in nearly two decades, with 53 percent of Americans saying they worried a “great deal” about crime. Gallup found crime ranks as the third-most important issue among 14 tested, trailing only the economy and inflation. Republicans held a 15-point advantage when asked which party would handle crime better in a Fox News poll conducted this year—the highest partisan advantage in the history of the poll.
While the issue of crime will come up in races across the country, it will be most deeply felt in some governor races in states that have seen a large increase in violent crime, particularly in Democratic-run big cities. CONTINUED
Josh Kraushaar, National Journal
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