Iowans Believe Country Is Headed in the Wrong Direction
The most recent Iowans for Tax Relief Foundation Poll, conducted by Cygnal, shows a majority of Iowans believe our country is headed in the wrong direction. Nearly three-quarters (74.4%) of those surveyed believe the United States is off on the wrong track, including an overwhelming majority of Republicans (97%) and Independents (77%), and even a plurality (47%) of Democrats. President Joe Biden was similarly unpopular, with more than two-thirds of Iowans (67.2%) holding an unfavorable opinion of the president.
Iowans are clearly united in their displeasure with what is happening in Washington, D.C., but their view of things here in our state seem to be defined by party lines. While Independents are evenly split on the issue, a majority of Republicans (70%) think Iowa is headed in the right direction, with a majority of Democrats (75%) thinking Iowa is off on the wrong track. This was reflected in how Iowans view Governor Kim Reynolds. 83% of Republicans view the governor favorably and 85% of Democrats hold an unfavorable opinion of her.
Looking ahead to the 2024 presidential campaigns, a potential rematch of the 2020 election showed Donald Trump (47.2%) was preferred over Joe Biden (37.7%). Similarly, the generic Republican candidate (50.1%) holds a lead over the generic Democratic candidate (35.7%) in next year’s Congressional races, with voters identifying inflation and the economy as their top issue.
Property taxes were identified as the top issue (27.0%) for local voters, followed by economic and community development (22.3%) and health and social services (15.7%) when Iowans were asked about priorities in their communities.
(Complete poll results are available for download below)
This probabilistic survey was conducted September 28-23, 2023, with 506 likely general election voters. It has a margin of error of ±4.32%. Known registered voters were interviewed via IVR and SMS. This survey was weighted to a likely general election voter universe.
About The Firm:
Cygnal is an award-winning international polling, public opinion, and predictive analytics firm that pioneered multi-mode polling, text-to-web collection, and emotive analysis. Cygnal consistently ranks as the most accurate firm, and clients rely on Cygnal’s ability to create intelligence for action. Its team members have worked in 48 states and multiple countries on more than 2,700 corporate, public affairs, and political campaigns.
Print a PDF