Midterm Election Update 2014: Most Voters Focused On Economy, Domestic Issues -- Not ISIS, Ebola

Americans voters care more about the domestic issues than the fight against Islamic State militants or the Ebola virus by a four-to-one margin as the midterm election approaches Tuesday, an NBC News/Wall Street Journal national poll revealed Sunday. Things like the economy, health care, Medicare and Social Security were more important to voters. Only 19 percent said subjects like the Ebola virus, ISIS and Russia’s actions in Ukraine are more important in deciding their vote.

“It’s not ISIS, it’s not Ebola,” Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who conducted the survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff, told NBC News. “It’s come back to the basics.”

People who have a strong interest in international issues are voting Republican, the study found. But those people numbered less than one out of five voters.

The most important issues to people were economic growth and job creation (23 percent). The gridlock in Washington was a concern for another 23 percent of people, the deficit was most important to 12 percent of people, and health care, Social Security and Medicare came next at 9 percent. Only 7 percent picked the military action against ISIS as the biggest issue, and just 2 percent named the Ebola outbreak as the top issue.

The poll queried 1,200 registered voters -- 48 percent men, 52 percent women -- across the country Thursday through Saturday. The margin of error was pegged at 2.83 points.

Going into the midterm elections, Republicans are surging ahead in key states, CNN reported Sunday. "I think the wind is at our back," Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said on CNN's "State of the Union." He said Republicans "in all likelihood" will win control of the Senate and added, "I think people are ready for new leadership."

Iowa GOP Senate hopeful Joni Ernst was leading by 7 points in a Des Moines Register poll two days before the election. Since Ernst is leading Democrat Bruce Braley 51 percent to 44 percent, "This race looks like it's decided," pollster J. Ann Selzer told the newspaper.

The poll queried 1,026 adults across Iowa Tuesday through Friday. The margin of error was 3.7 percentage points.

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