---
title: "Op/ed: Yes, It’s the Economy—and So Much More"
date: 2022-11-04T16:48:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/op-ed-yes-its-the-economy-and-so-much-more"
section: Articles
---
# Op/ed: Yes, It’s the Economy—and So Much More

*November 4, 2022* — by [Stella Rouse](/author/stella-rouse), [Shibley Telhami](/author/shibley-telhami)


> In 2022 Midterms, Democracy, Abortion, Ukraine Also Loom Large, UMD Poll Finds

*I Stock 1387206758 inflation 1920x1080 — Inflation and economic concerns are top of mind for voters—but so are other societal issues, including, unusually, a foreign policy crisis: Russia's invasion of Ukraine, according to a new essay by UMD government and politics researchers.*

*Midterm elections have traditionally been sleepy affairs, but Tuesday’s contests are expected to generate record turnout, with voters flocking to polls and mailboxes to weigh in on a wide range of important, even existential, issues at home and abroad.  
  
In a new essay in The Conversation, Stella Rouse, professor of government and politics and director of the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement, and Shibley Telhami, Anwar Sadat Professor for Peace and Development, break down the issues that have generated unusual passion in the runup to the 2022 midterms.* The 2022 midterm elections, perhaps [more than most in recent American history](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-63139993), present voters with a multitude of pressing issues to consider as they prepare to vote. These issues range from [abortion](https://abcnews.go.com/US/voters-care-abortion-heading-midterms/story?id=92220097)to [rising inflation](https://time.com/6226145/inflation-midterms-2022-fact-check/), [energy costs](https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/11/midterm-elections-2022-gas-prices-inflation-economy.html) to [the state of American democracy](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/1/eroding-trust-how-election-deniers-endanger-us-democracy).   
  
Given the attention to domestic issues, it’s surprising, then, that a foreign policy issue also ranked among the top—[U.S. aid to Ukraine](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/oct/18/republicans-ukraine-midterm-elections)—as our latest University of Maryland [Critical Issues Poll](https://criticalissues.umd.edu/sites/criticalissues.umd.edu/files/American%20Public%20Attitudes%20on%20the%20Ukraine%20War_Round%204.pdf) showed.   
  
Partisanship often overshadows specific issues and, while Americans are not electing a president in 2022, some perceive the midterms nonetheless as [referendums on President Joe Biden or former President Donald Trump](https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-presidential-election-2020-government-and-politics-d5e2272c275d2c443c3cff54f99d35e7).   
  
*Read* [*the rest*](https://theconversation.com/yes-its-the-economy-but-the-state-of-democracy-abortion-and-ukraine-loom-large-as-issues-before-2022-midterms-193693) *in The Conversation.*



**Sidebar note:**

Visit the University of Maryland's [Election 2022 Portal](https://umd.edu/election-2022), a one-stop shop for resources on registering, voting, polling sites, candidates, news and campus events to help you get informed and get ready for the midterms.





**Topics:** [Research](https://today.umd.edu/tags/research)


**Tags:** [Government and Politics](https://today.umd.edu/topic/government-and-politics), [2022 Elections](https://today.umd.edu/topic/2022-elections), [Research](https://today.umd.edu/topic/research)


**Units:** [College of Behavioral and Social Sciences](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-behavioral-and-social-sciences)