AI and data center expansion ranked last among five issues in NBC News and SSRS exit polls for the 2026 U.S. midterms. Fifty-six percent of respondents said the issue was decisive or important to their vote.
Government corruption led at 90%, followed by cost of living at 89%, the war in Iran at 74%, and immigration enforcement at 73%. The results show AI and data centers mattered to more than half of respondents, but were less prominent than each of the other topics surveyed.
Why it matters
For campaigns weighing which issues to emphasize, the poll suggests AI and data centers drew less voter attention than the four other topics surveyed; it does not show how voters will respond to specific AI policies.
