U.S. voters prefer Republicans over Democrats for solving immigration and crime problems, suggesting the Republican emphasis on border security and fighting crime could help it in the Nov. 8 elections, a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed. The Sept. 27-Oct. 3 poll, underscores the advantages Republicans have in elections when they are favored to win control of the U.S. House of Representatives and could take the Senate. Forty percent of registered voters said Republicans were the party best suited to address immigration, compared to 32 percent favoring Democrats. On addressing crime, 39 percent picked Republicans and 30 percent Democrats. The rest said they didn't know or picked another party or independents.
While high inflation rates remain the top concern for voters, crime and immigration are seen as important themes for motivating core Republican voters to turn out and vote, and for picking up votes from independents and moderate Democrats. Overall 30 percent of registered voters said their top concern was inflation, with five percent choosing immigration and four percent choosing crime. "A lot of voters care about crime and a lot of voters care about immigration," said Alex Conant, a Republican strategist. "Right now, those are winning issues for Republicans." The Republican edge on crime and immigration is sharpest in some core voting groups, such as non-Hispanic whites without a college degree. Among women in suburban areas - a group that has played a critical role in elections - Republicans led Democrats by seven percentage points on immigration and by eight points on crime.