The economy is the biggest issue for Americans of all ethnic backgrounds in 2024, according to a major new survey

Americans of different racial backgrounds largely agree that the government in 2024 should focus on economic and foreign policy issues. However, recent polls show that racial groups' views diverge on some key issues, including racism and immigration.

About 7 in 10 U.S. adults of various racial backgrounds — including white, black, Hispanic and Asian adults — cited issues related to the economy in an open-ended question. It asks people to name up to five issues they want the government to prioritize in 2024, making it the most frequently cited issue for each group and for U.S. adults overall at 76%.

Inflation, in particular, has been a major concern. About three in 10 adults who are white, A`I or Hispanic cite inflation as a key focus for 2024. About two in 10 black adults also cited inflation as a top concern.

The data on U.S. adults overall — including black, Hispanic and white adults — comes from a December poll conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The data on A`I communities comes from an A`I Data/`-NORC survey that aims to improve available survey data on Asian American communities in the U.S., which are often underrepresented in public opinion research.

Opinions differ on some topics outside of economics.

Immigration was cited as a top priority for government action by 43% of Hispanic adults, 36% of white adults and 29% of Asian and Pacific Islander adults, but only 19% of Black adults. Black and A`I adults are less likely than white and Hispanic adults to say the government should work on the country's engagement abroad. About a quarter of white and Hispanic adults call it a priority issue, compared to 7% of black and A`I adults.

“There are so many people crossing the border,” said Rick Chan, an artificial intelligence engineer in the San Francisco Bay Area.

“People should obey the law when they come to the country,” said Chan, a Chinese American.

White adults were more likely than adults from other racial and ethnic groups to name politics as an important issue for the coming year. Four in 10 white adults cite politics as a necessary focus of government, compared to two in 10 Black or A`I adults. About a third of Hispanic adults view politics as an important focus. White adults are also more likely to worry about government spending, government corruption and taxes than non-white adults.

“We must always have a budget to prevent a government shutdown. I don't think Republicans see it that way,” said Jim O'Leary, a former railroad worker from Missouri. O'Leary, who is white, believes the government should focus primarily on economic and democratic issues.

O'Leary, a Democrat, said he wants the government to take stronger action on the federal budget but opposes far-right economic policies. “They're just not seeing the bigger picture,” O'Leary said, pointing to proposed budget cuts by conservative lawmakers in ongoing negotiations on Capitol Hill. In his opinion, Trump is too polarizing a figure to return to office.

“I mean, he wants to be a dictator. If this guy gets back in, we're going to be in real trouble,” O'Leary said.

“I think what we need to focus on most is election integrity. I think we're finished if we don't get some sort of election integrity back,” said Jerry Lassiter, a retired human resources specialist. Lassiter, who is white, said government corruption, the prosecution of rioters who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and immigration are other important issues he believes the administration needs to focus on in 2024.

Lassiter, a Republican, also expressed concern about issues such as immigration, crime and “getting people back to work.”

Ivory Hunter Jr., a 59-year-old warehouse and transportation worker in Texas, said he is hearing “a lot of negative things” about possible cuts to federal programs such as Medicare and Social Security.

“And they don’t have solid plans that would be enough to solve the problems,” said Hunter, who is Black.

Hunter, a Democrat, said that while some Republicans made policy proposals he found appealing, he felt the party was too supportive of former President Donald Trump, who he said would “tear down our democracy” if he wins the White House. Hunter said he feels alienated by many Republican politicians' rhetoric and policies on voting rights, racism and immigration.

“I can’t stand the way they choose to do things, the statements they make or the actions they take,” Hunter said.

Non-white adults are more likely than white adults to cite racism or racial inequality as issues the government needs to address. About 2 in 10 Black adults emphasize racial issues, compared to 13% of Hispanic adults and 12% of A`I adults. Each of these groups is 7% more likely to mention this than white adults. Non-white adults are also more likely than white adults to mention employment issues, including job availability and the minimum wage.

About 7 in 10 U.S. and A`I adults are “somewhat” or “not at all” confident that the federal government can make progress on key issues in 2024. Nearly 8 in 10 white adults expressed low confidence in the government's ability to solve problems, a significantly higher rate of pessimism than among other racial groups. They are more likely than Hispanic adults, 63%, and black adults, 46%, to have little trust in the federal government to address their biggest concerns.

“The system is rigged. It's already rigged. The people of Washington are not losing their power. “They will do everything they can to avoid losing their gravy and their cushy jobs once they leave government,” Lassiter said.

“What is optimistic about the future in this country? I don't know. You just do it every morning. You wake up and hope it doesn't explode and the world doesn't end overnight,” O'Leary said. “You just wake up in the morning and hope there’s still a world.”

___

The survey of 1,074 U.S. adults was conducted November 30 to December 19. 4, 2023, using a sample from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel intended to represent the U.S. population. The sampling error rate for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.

The survey of 1,115 U.S. adults who are Asian, Hawaiian or Pacific Islander was conducted November 6-15, 2023. A sample was used from NORC's probability-based Amplify A`I Panel, which is intended to be representative of the Asian American and Pacific Islander population. The sampling error rate for all respondents is plus/minus 4.4 percentage points.