NBC exit polls showed 2026 voters preferred Democrats on every issue aside from immigration, with affordability and economics playing a pivotal role.
As Republicans scramble to comprehend the reasons for, and scale of, their loss on Tuesday, exit polls provide the first hints of what went wrong. A sizable majority had negative views of President Donald Trump and his policies, and preferred Democrats on nearly every issue, a major reversal from 2024. The single exception was on immigration, where Republicans were preferred by 44% of voters, compared to 41% who preferred Democrats.
The exit polls also showed that the election came down to the economy, with 39% of voters listing it as the single most important issue facing the country, followed by the state of democracy at 32%. Just 14% listed immigration as the most important issue.
Other questions further showcased the economy’s importance: 89% said affordability was a crucial or major factor in their vote, with 49% of voters calling it “crucial.” Economic pessimism was high, with 75% of voters saying the state of the economy was “not so good or poor.”
Relatedly, the war with Iran also played a significant role, with 74% saying the war played a crucial or major role in their vote. The price of gas and diesel also played a major role, with 87% of voters very or somewhat concerned. Of those voters, 57% went for Democrats.
The other big affordability issue, the cost of groceries, also helped democrats. Around 88% of voters were very or somewhat concerned with the cost of food and groceries, and 58% of them voted Democrat.
2026 MIDTERM ELECTIONS LIVE UPDATES: LATEST NEWS, RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
Though voters expressed broad displeasure with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, those holding immigration as a top issue went for Republicans. A total of 52% of people who said immigration enforcement played a crucial or major role in their vote went Republican.
Another sleeper issue was artificial intelligence and data centers, with 56% of voters saying the issue played a crucial or major role in their vote, and two-thirds of these voted Democratic. Democrats’ monopolization of messaging on data centers was noted by Republicans early in the cycle, but apparently they weren’t able to counter it in time.