Midterm elections 2022: Listed below are the problems Maine voters care about probably the most

As the nation inches nearer towards Election Day, voters are homing in on points that will determine the destiny of Congress and several other state governments in November.

The Washington Examiner is monitoring which points are on the highest of voters' minds as they put together to move to the polls, notably in key battleground states that would carry a shift in energy to the federal authorities. Particularly, we’re monitoring how voters are researching our high 5 points — abortion, crime, schooling, inflation, and taxes — and the way these pursuits fluctuate as we get nearer to Election Day.

MIDTERMS 2022: TRACKING THE ISSUES THAT MATTER TO VOTERS AHEAD OF ELECTION DAY

Under, you'll be able to monitor the curiosity in Maine for every of our key points on a rolling 30-day foundation. The Washington Examiner shall be updating this web page as pursuits and voting issues change.

Key races we’re watching within the state: 

Maine has a handful of key Home races that each Democrats and Republicans have saved their eyes on, as victories within the Pine Tree State may assist decide which get together takes management of Congress in November.

The race for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District has particularly attracted curiosity, because it encompasses a rematch between Democratic Rep. Jared Golden and Republican former Rep. Bruce Poliquin, whom Golden unseated throughout Democrats’ blue wave in 2018. The race may additionally function a bellwether of former President Donald Trump’s affect within the state, as Poliquin has embraced the previous president’s speaking factors and assist — a shift from his beforehand reasonable stances.

The governor’s race in Maine has additionally attracted nationwide consideration as Democratic Gov. Janet Mills seeks to defend her seat towards former Gov. Paul LePage, reviving a decadeslong rivalry between the 2 as they’ve labored alongside one another in state authorities. Nevertheless, LePage could face an uphill battle, as he left the governor's mansion in 2019 with a considerably controversial legacy.

LePage made a reputation for himself with a sequence of controversies throughout his tenure, describing himself as "Trump earlier than there was Trump" in 2016. He later moved to Florida in 2019 and vowed by no means once more to hunt public workplace after he was constitutionally barred from searching for a 3rd consecutive time period.

Schooling

Schooling emerged because the top-researched concern amongst Maine voters early in September and remained the No. 1 precedence during the month, in line with web searches recorded and analyzed by Google Tendencies.

Searches associated to schooling spiked a number of instances over the past month, mirroring nationwide tendencies that noticed the problem obtain renewed curiosity in August and September — possible coinciding with the start of the college 12 months. Different spikes in curiosity could also be due partly to the announcement of President Joe Biden’s pupil mortgage forgiveness program on Aug. 24.

Taxes

Taxes emerged as one other high concern amongst Maine voters, seeing renewed curiosity on Sept. 15 and recording quite a few spikes over the last two weeks of September. The difficulty got here in at No. 2 as of Sept. 29.

Web searches associated to taxes spiked twice, on Sept. 13 and 20, in tandem with schooling searches, possible having to do with Biden’s pupil mortgage forgiveness plan offering aid to as much as 43 million debtors. The forgiveness plan described parameters for who can be eligible for pupil mortgage cancellation, noting debtors might want to earn beneath $125,000 individually or $250,000 as a family.

The rise in tax-related web searches in relation to pupil mortgage forgiveness comes after some states introduced that debtors could also be taxed. Maine is among the few states to announce a change within the federal tax code exempting debtors from paying taxes on their mortgage forgiveness.

Crime

Crime has additionally emerged as a high concern, spiking a handful of instances throughout the first week of September and remaining regular because the No. 3 concern as of Sept. 29 after receiving a number of spikes in curiosity earlier within the month.

Republicans have sought to color Democrats as being too “tender on crime” all through the midterm cycle, and the GOP could have a bonus, as a result of it's usually thought of higher at dealing with crime, in line with a Washington Publish-ABC News ballot from April. That may be a shift from earlier sentiments that each events are able to dealing with crime.

Inflation

Inflation remained one of many lowest-searched subjects all through the month of September, receiving a spike in curiosity on Sept. 14 and 26 earlier than falling again to No. 4 as of Sept. 29.

Inflation charges barely decreased over the past month, with August costs rising 8.3% in comparison with the 12 months earlier than, famous a report from the buyer worth index launched on Sept. 13. The numbers had been increased than anticipated however nonetheless a decline from July’s numbers, which confirmed an 8.5% improve.

Republicans have lengthy centered on inflation as a key voter concern within the midterm election cycle, pointing to hovering inflation charges beneath Biden. Nevertheless, inflation has grow to be much less of a priority after the passage of the Inflation Discount Act, providing Democrats aid and posing a problem to Republicans as they formulate new methods.

Abortion

Abortion emerged as a high concern for Maine voters a number of instances all through the month of September earlier than plummeting to the underside of the record on Sept. 29.

The difficulty of abortion has notably taken heart stage within the governor’s race, as earlier polls have indicated the problem is among the high motivators within the state, and the governor may have a hand in the way forward for abortion rights there. Democrats have sought to make use of that to their benefit, claiming LePage would reverse abortion rights in Maine if elected. LePage has denied these accusations.

Abortion emerged as one of many high points amongst voters nationwide over the summer time after the Supreme Courtroom overturned Roe v. Wade, ending nationwide entry to the process and returning the query of legality again to the states. Abortion is authorized in Maine till 24 weeks of being pregnant, with exceptions if the mom’s life is at risk.