News Interest Index: Public Sees Candidates Focusing on Economy

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News Interest Index: Public Sees Candidates Focusing on Economy

Public interest in economic news remained high last week as 40% of Americans followed news about the condition of the U.S. economy very closely. Nearly one-in-four Americans (23%) listed the economy as the single news story they were following more closely than any other, placing it second only to the presidential campaign.

In addition, Americans most often cite the economy as the single issue they have heard the most about recently from the presidential candidates. Three-in-ten (29%) name the economy as the issue they have heard the most about, while 23% name the Iraq war and 16% cite health care. Fewer people say they have heard the most about immigration (7%), the need for change (5%), taxes (4%) and race (2%). Terrorism is named by just 1% as the issue they are hearing the most about from the candidates.

Republicans are slightly more likely than Democrats to say they are hearing the most about the economy (34% vs. 29%). Democrats, on the other hand, are more likely than Republicans to name health care (21% vs. 15%) and Iraq (28% vs. 23%).

Read the full report Public Sees Candidates Focusing on Economy on the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press Web site.

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