has fallen sharply as a policy priority % priority who say strengthening the nation's economy is a top Obama Dem/Lean Dem Rep/Lean Rep
Since Barack Obama’s administration, there have been declines in the shares in both parties who rate the economy and jobs as top priorities, with the changes somewhat more pronounced among Democrats.
Today, 78% of Republicans and 64% of Democrats say strengthening the economy should be a top priority; in 2013, overwhelming majorities in both parties (87% each) said the economy was a top priority.
That year, 81% of Democrats and 76% of Republicans also viewed improving the job situation as a top policy goal. Today, 66% of Republicans and 58% of Democrats say this.
In both parties, reducing budget deficit  | has fallen sharply as a policy priority  | % priority who say strengthening the nation's economy is a top  | priority say  | Bush  | Obama  | Trump  | Dem/Lean Dem  | 78  | 74  | 66  | 64  | Rep/Lean Rep  | 2000  | 2004  | 2012  | 2008  | 2016  | % who say improving the job situation is a top priority  | Clinton  | Bush  | Obama  | Trum  | Dem/Lean Dem  | 70  | 66  | 6.1  | 58  | Rep/Lean Rep  | 1994  | 2002  | 2010  | 2018  | % who say reducing the budgetdefcitis a utop priority  | Clinton  | Bush  | Obama  | Rep/Lean Rep  | 67  | 59  | Dem/Lean Dem  | 1994  | 2002  | 2010  | 2018  | Source: Survey ofu.s adults conducted Jan 10-15 2018  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 