Exit polls from the 2026 midterm elections reveal that voters prioritized economic concerns and democracy over immigration, though Republicans maintained a narrow advantage on the latter issue. According to NBC and CBS exit polling, 39% of voters ranked the economy as their top concern, followed by 32% who cited the state of democracy. Immigration ranked third, with just 14% of voters identifying it as the most important issue.
Republicans held a 4-point edge on immigration, with 44% of voters preferring GOP handling of the issue compared to 40% for Democrats. This gap contrasts with broader Democratic preferences on other policy areas, where exit polls showed voters favored Democratic positions on affordability, economics, and healthcare. The single exception to Democratic dominance was immigration, where Republicans maintained a slight lead despite public disapproval of certain enforcement actions.
Public sentiment on immigration enforcement was mixed. A majority of 57% of voters believed the administration’s policies had gone too far, while 20% said enforcement had not gone far enough and 22% considered it about right. Disapproval of ICE’s performance stood at 60%, compared to 40% approval. Views on enforcement closely tracked voting behavior: 89% of voters who believed policies had gone too far backed Democratic candidates, while 91% of those favoring tougher enforcement voted Republican.
The election outcome underscored the economy’s central role, with 39% of voters listing it as their top issue, followed by democracy at 32%. Immigration, though a partisan strength for Republicans, ranked behind healthcare, foreign policy, and crime in voter priorities. The results suggest that while immigration remains a polarizing issue, its electoral impact was limited compared to broader economic and democratic concerns.
For Republicans, the exit polls highlight challenges in reconciling voter disapproval of specific enforcement actions with the party’s advantage on the issue itself. Democrats, meanwhile, saw gains in areas like affordability and healthcare, though their overall performance varied by voter priorities. The data reflects a complex electoral landscape where economic and democratic concerns overshadowed immigration despite its partisan salience.