During the 1992 presidential election, Democratic strategist James Carville famously said, “It’s the economy, stupid!”
A survey of seniors by Retirement Living suggests that’s a message both parties should take to heart in 2024. When asked to name the most important issue in the current political campaign, the number one answer among both Republicans and Democrats was “the cost of living,” although the parties split on the importance of other issues.
Over 19% of voters aged 60 and older named the cost of living as their biggest concern, and 57% deemed it a top three concern. Among independents, the economic issues are even more important, with “cost of living” the number one issue and “inflation” number two.
Economic issues are also affecting slightly younger voters, too. Among people aged 45 to 60, here are the top three issues:
Cost of living
Inflation
The economy
In such a politically polarized environment, it may not be surprising that most seniors have already picked a candidate. The survey shows that nearly 75% have made up their mind about who to vote for, with only about 25% who say they are undecided.
Whichever candidate seniors pick, they are likely to have an impact on election day. The survey found that 91% of seniors in the survey voted in the 2020 election.
Retirement Living surveyed 1,039 American seniors aged 45 and older about their voting plans. The survey, which was conducted in April 2024, relies on self-reporting.