A Harris Poll conducted from October 22-24 reveals that government corruption has become a prominent concern among US voters heading into the midterm elections. The survey found that nearly nine out of ten Americans believe elected officials use public office for personal financial benefit, with three-quarters of voters stating that officials care more about enriching themselves than improving the broader economy. Among various policy concerns, corruption ranks as the second-most important issue after the rising cost of living, which 36% of voters identified as their primary election concern.
Voters expressed greater concern about government corruption than corporate power, with 65% prioritizing corruption compared to 29% focusing on corporate influence. The Harris Poll’s CEO attributed the prominence of corruption concerns to Americans viewing leaders as both responsible for and profiting from economic hardship. Respondents were twice as likely to identify the Republican Party as having a larger corruption problem, with 40% of voters—including 29% of Republicans—holding this view. A third of voters said both parties share the problem equally, while 21% identified Democrats as having the bigger issue. Independents, whose votes prove crucial in competitive races, leaned toward viewing Republicans as having more corruption problems at 34%, compared to 13% pointing to Democrats.
The survey results reflect broader concerns about money in politics. Since the 2010 Citizens United decision, campaign donations have reached record levels, with the current midterm cycle already attracting $11.2 billion in advertising spending. A small number of ultra-wealthy donors have concentrated significant financial influence, with just 40 contributors providing $2.5 billion to races this year. The disparity in stock market ownership—with the top 1% holding half the market while the bottom 50% own just over 1%—underscores voter concerns about wealth concentration.
On potential solutions, a third of voters supported placing limits on corporate and lobbyist influence on government. Other popular proposals included removing tariffs and capping price increases on goods. A separate issue gaining attention involves wealth taxation, with half of surveyed voters stating that billionaires do not pay their fair share of taxes. The survey included 2,065 nationally representative US adults, with 1,481 identified as likely midterm voters.
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