Michigan Exit Polls: It’s the Economy, Stupid

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.


Michigan has the highest unemployment rate in the country and a badly hurting economy. It isn’t surprising, then, that roughly 50 percent of Michigan primary voters (Republicans only, since the Dems had a meaningless contest tonight) picked the economy as the most important issue. Just 26 percent of Republican caucus-goers said the same in Iowa, and 31 percent of voters said the same in New Hampshire’s Republican primary. Seven of ten voters in the Minnesota primary said they were unhappy with the primary economy. [Ed. Note: My mistake.]

Twenty percent of voters today said Iraq is the most important issue, 15 percent said immigration, and 10 percent said terrorism.

It appears that Mitt Romney won economically minded voters tonight, perhaps because he has the most experience of any of the candidates in the private sector, and spent years at Bain turning companies around.

DECEMBER IS MAKE OR BREAK

A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. That’s risky, because a strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength—but a weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

With only days left until December 31, we've raised about half of our $400,000 goal—but we need a huge surge in reader support to close the remaining gap. Whether you've given before or this is your first time, your contribution right now matters.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do. That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

DECEMBER IS MAKE OR BREAK

A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. That’s risky, because a strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength—but a weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

With only days left until December 31, we've raised about half of our $400,000 goal—but we need a huge surge in reader support to close the remaining gap. Whether you've given before or this is your first time, your contribution right now matters.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do. That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate