(NewsNation) — Crime has become a top issue among voters this midterm election, and many candidates have modified their campaigns around it.
According to a recent NewsNation/Decision Desk HQ poll, 10% of voters nationwide said crime is the top issue, while 17% said it’s a bigger problem nationally than inflation, COVID or unemployment.
Elizabeth Vargas, NewsNation contributor and host of the syndicated true crime series “iCrime,” said that candidates for Congress have little to do with fighting crime.
“There’s a lot of ads on crime,” Vargas said. “Here’s the thing: These candidates for Senate, for Congress, have very little to do with fighting crime. If you want to really lower crime rates, you want to be more concerned with who’s running for mayor, or even local sheriff in jurisdictions where those positions are elected.”
Vargas explained that elected officials who really impact crime are local officials because crime is a local issue. However, she said that officials in Congress could help provide the funding to states that is needed to fight crime.