Voters now focus on corruption as election issue
The gist
A CNBC survey found 36% of registered voters named government corruption their top issue, ahead of food costs at 34%.
The issue is now central to the 2026 midterms, including for voters who usually ignore it.
How it unfolded
- May 1, 2026 to Jun 10, 2026Gallup finds a record 89% of Americans say government corruption is widespread, the highest in 20 years and a 10-point jump from last year.
- Aug 2026In Alaska, 72 percent of voters approve Ballot Measure 1, which imposes tight limits on campaign contributions to candidates.
- Oct 9, 2026 to Oct 12, 2026A Fox News Poll finds government corruption led all voter concerns, with 60% extremely concerned, ahead of inflation (58%) and gas prices (50%).