Voters back former President Trump to handle the economy and secure the border, and they believe he is more physically and mentally fit than President Biden.

But Biden leads Trump on handling abortion rights and protecting democracy, and voters think he is more honest than Trump.

These are the results of the first , a new polling tracker for the 2024 presidential election.

Introducing the Fox News Power Rankings Issues Tracker

Elections have always been defined by issues. 

In the last forty years alone, Americans have used their voice at the ballot box to decide the future of Reaganomics (1984), deficit and welfare reform (1996), the Iraq War (2004) and Obamacare (2012).

This cycle can feel different.

As the first rematch in nearly 70 years, voters are already very familiar with the candidates and what they stand for.

And the conversation has often turned away from policy. Trump’s hush money trial in New York has dominated headlines for nearly two months, along with debates about debates and ‘freakouts’ about aging candidates.

But there are significant policy questions on the line at this election, from the future of immigration, to abortion law, to the fairness of elections.

We have a variety of election data products to figure out which candidate is leading the horserace, including individual polls, forecasts, and polling averages.

Until now, there has been no polling tracker dedicated to the issues. 

The Fox News Power Rankings Issues Tracker is designed to fill that gap.

How the tracker works and points to remember

The number next to each issue on the dials tells you the number of percentage points by which that candidate leads on that issue.

For example, the ‘+15’ for former President Trump next to ‘economy’ means that Trump leads Biden by fifteen points on that issue.

This is a polling tracker. It reflects how well a candidate is doing now on a particular issue. That issue may or may not be decisive in November.

For the presidential forecast, see the regular Fox News Power Rankings, which have also been updated today.

This tracker doesn’t address issue prioritization, which is measured in a variety of ways by each pollster.

In other words, this tracker will not tell you how important an issue is to voters. The goal is to tell you which candidate they think will better handle it.

Trump leads Biden on most of the key issues

Former President Trump has the strongest leads on the board, led by the border & immigration (Trump +18), the economy (Trump +15), foreign policy (Trump +7) and crime/guns (Trump +7).

Voters prefer President Biden on abortion (Biden +12), preserving democracy and election integrity (Biden +7) and health care (Biden +7).

Economy

Trump has consistent double digit advantages on the economy in this tracker.

It comes as Americans struggle to cope with inflation.

Overall, prices are up 19.3% in the three years since Biden took office and while weekly earnings have also grown, they have not kept pace.

Trump has made the high price of staples like milk, eggs, and gas a cornerstone of his campaign.

For their part, the Biden campaign points to other important economic indicators to bolster their case.

Unemployment, for example, is at a decades-long record low, and GDP data shows the economy is growing.

But voters are not giving the administration any more credit for the overall state of the economy than they are for inflation.

Last month’s ABC/Ipsos poll asked Americans which candidate they preferred on the economy, and separately, inflation.

Trump leads by 14 points on both.

(Note: unlike other polls on this tracker, ABC/Ipsos surveys adults, not registered voters.)

Abortion

Voters think Biden will handle abortion policy better than Trump. 

Biden leads on the issue by 12 points in this tracker.

This is an important advantage for the incumbent president. In a recent Fox News survey, abortion edged out the economy and the border for the biggest ‘deal-breaker’ issue among voters.

In other words, those three issues are the most likely to determine votes in November.

And abortion was the biggest single issue among suburban women, Black voters, those with a college degree, and voters under 30.

Abortion access has been curtailed, sometimes severely, in 25 states since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, which protected abortion as a fundamental right.

In April, Trump said he wants individual states to determine abortion policy. He also said he supported exceptions for ‘rape, incest, and life of the mother.’ Trump did not say whether he is open to enshrining those exceptions at the federal level.

Either way, a clear majority of voters (63%) continue to say they want abortion to be legal in all or most cases.

Border & immigration

The border and immigration is not only Trump’s strongest issue, but it is the issue with the largest lead for any candidate in this tracker.

Voters prefer Trump on the border and immigration by 18 points.

Biden’s dismal numbers are the result of an influx of illegal immigration during his administration. 

Nearly 7.8 million illegal immigrants have been apprehended at the southern border under his presidency so far, versus about 2.5 million under President Trump.

That surge has slowed somewhat in recent months.

Democrats say they supported a bipartisan bill to reduce border crossings earlier this year, and blame Senate Republicans for blocking it (Sen. Lisa Murkowski was the only GOP Senator who voted in favor).

But the border remains a centerpiece of Trump’s campaign, and that is unlikely to change before November.

Notably, Trump has double digit leads when adults are asked about ‘immigration at the US-Mexico border’ and voters are asked about ‘immigration’ more broadly.

That suggests that voters prefer Trump to handle the surge of illegal immigrants at the border, and the wider question of immigration reform.

Democracy & elections

‘Democracy and elections’ usually does not rate as a significant issue in a presidential election.

But this is the first time voters will go to the polls in a presidential election since the January 6 riots, and since Trump’s efforts to overturn Biden’s 2020 win.

These topics have been the subject of media attention and, at times, have been at the forefront of both candidates’ campaigns.

This tracker includes questions about election integrity, preserving or protecting democracy, and ensuring fair elections.

No matter how the question is asked, more voters trust Biden on this issue.

On election integrity, Biden leads by 7 points (Fox).On ensuring fair and accurate elections, Biden leads by 14 points (Marquette).On protecting or preserving democracy, Biden leads by 7 points with voters (Quinnipiac) and in ABC’s poll among adults, it’s even.

Foreign policy

Foreign policy is the closest of the major issues in this tracker, but Trump enjoys a modest lead in this category as well.

Last month’s Quinnipiac poll asked about both the Israel-Hamas and Ukraine-Russia conflicts:

On handling Israel-Hamas, Trump leads by 10 pointsOn handling Ukraine-Russia, Trump leads by 3 points, within the poll’s margin of error.

Trump also has an important advantage on America’s global image.

When asked which candidate they trust to handle ‘America’s standing in the world,’ voters gave Trump a 7 point lead versus Biden.

So whether it is a specific conflict or America’s overall foreign policy, more voters trust Trump to deal with it.

Advantages for both candidates on key qualities

The playing field is a little more even on candidate qualities.

Biden has a strong advantage on honesty (Biden +15) and temperament (Biden +9).

The electorate is divided on ‘sharing your values,’ which sits within the tracker’s margin of error. That question is a good proxy for the overall state of the race.

Trump leads on accomplishments (Trump +9); no surprise given his leads in four of the major policy areas.

And he has an overwhelming lead on age (Trump +21).

Age

Voters perceive Trump as more physically and mentally fit than Biden by large margins, no matter how the question is asked:

On mental soundness/sharpness, Trump leads by 9 points (Fox), 16 points (Pew), and in ABC’s poll among adults, 19 points.On physical health, Trump leads by 26 points (Pew) and in ABC’s poll among adults, 22 points.On whether the candidate is ‘too old,’ Trump leads by an average of 27 points (Marquette, NYT/Siena).

President Biden is the oldest President of the United States, and is currently seeking a second term that would end at age 86.

He has also suffered from memory lapses and stumbles and has largely avoided interviews during his time in office.

Democrats contend that Biden is only a few years older than Trump, who is seeking a second term that would end at age 82.

But the results show that voters are much less concerned about Trump’s physical and mental fitness.

Honesty

Biden’s image is much healthier.

He is perceived as more honest and trustworthy than his opponent (Biden +15) and more voters say he acts ethically in office (Biden +11).

And more voters say Biden is not corrupt (Biden +19) than they do about Trump.

That last point is particularly encouraging for the Biden campaign, who have worked to swat down accusations of corruption made by Trump and House Republicans over Hunter Biden’s business dealings.

As that investigation winds down, the results show that those efforts have not been as successful as the GOP would have liked.

Few signs of movement on the issues means a challenging environment for Biden

This is the first Power Rankings Issues Tracker, and part of its purpose is to track movement on these issues as election day approaches.

Candidate qualities like temperament and honesty are the least likely to move because they point to a person’s character. Both candidates have strengths and weaknesses there.

But when looking only at the policy figures, Trump has a clear advantage.

Biden’s job before November is to create some movement. But given the issues on display in this tracker, that will be a major challenge.

Even as inflation slows, prices have still risen dramatically under his administration.

Even if the administration is able to stem the tide on illegal immigration, the total number of illegal immigrants entering the country will exceed 8 million people.

And there are multiple foreign conflicts that show no signs of slowing down.

Preserving democracy and abortion are bright spots for Biden, but he is winning his issues by narrower margins than Trump’s.

It is for these reasons that analysts refer to a ‘bleak issues environment’ for Democrats. And that is borne out in the data.

Beware the deal-breakers

This tracker focuses on the issues most likely to decide the presidential race. 

But this election could be decided on very narrow margins in just a handful of states. Even in 2020, when Biden won by a healthy electoral college margin, the average popular vote margin in the three closest states was just 14,306 votes.

So keep in mind the full range of deal-breaker issues in this election, helpfully illustrated in the latest Fox News Poll.

For example, while social issues like equality and LGBT rights are only a deal-breaker for 3% of voters, for that 3%, it is the issue that will decide their vote this November.

Polls included in the Fox News Power Rankings Issues Tracker must meet these criteria:

They must be conducted in the last eight weeks, with an emphasis, where possible, on recent polls and those with a registered voter sample;They must meet Fox News polling standards;And they must ask voters whether they believe Biden or Trump could ‘better handle’ or ‘address’ a given issue.

Questions about candidate qualities like honesty and age usually do not ask respondents to compare the candidates within the question, so for some categories, the average is calculated by averaging ‘yes’ (or positive) answers to the same question across multiple polls. 

For example, Trump leads on ‘age’ because more voters said he had, for example, the mental soundness to be president than when they were asked, separately, the same question about Biden.

An issue or candidate quality is included if at least two pollsters in the tracker asked about it, so the issues on the dials may change in future updates.

Four Israeli hostages have died while in Hamas captivity, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Monday after obtaining new intelligence. 

The kibbutz Nir Oz said earlier Monday that three of their founders who were kidnapped by Hamas terrorists on October 7 and taken hostage were killed while in captivity. 

 An IDF spokesperson said Amiram Cooper, Yoram Metzger, and Chaim Peri – all of whom were 80 or older – were killed several months ago along with Nadav Powell in Khan Yunis, while IDF troopers were operating in the area. Their bodies are still in Gaza. 

Cooper, Metzger, and Peri were seen in a video released by Hamas under the title, ‘Don’t let us grow old here.’ In the video, the three men appear gaunt, wearing thin white T-shirts.

‘We are the generation who built the foundation for the state of Israel,’ Haim Peri says, noting that all the men have chronic illnesses. ‘We do not understand why we have been abandoned here.’

The IDF said Monday that the family members of the victims have been informed of their deaths. 

‘The decision to pronounce the four hostages dead was based on intelligence and was confirmed by a Ministry of Health expert committee, in coordination with the Ministry of Religious Services and the Chief Rabbi of Israel,’ an IDF spokesperson said. ‘The circumstances of their death in Hamas captivity are still under examination by all the relevant professionals.’ 

Hamas claimed in May that the other hostage pronounced deceased, Nadav Popplewell, died after being wounded in an Israeli airstrike, but provided no evidence to that effect. Popplewell was 51.

Monday’s announcement heightens pressure on the Israeli government to agree to a U.S. cease-fire proposal that could secure the return of the hostages still held in Gaza and end the eight-month war.

About 80 hostages in Gaza are believed to be alive, alongside the remains of 43 others. In the days since the Biden administration announced the cease-fire proposal on Friday, Israel has seen some of its largest protests calling on the government to bring them home. Israeli leadership has appeared to brush aside President Biden’s proposal, vowing to keep conducting military operations against Hamas until the militant group is destroyed.

About 100 captives were released during a week long exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners in November. Three of the men declared dead Monday had female relatives who were released during the exchange.

Cooper was an economist and one of the founders of kibbutz Nir Oz, according to the hostages forum. Metzger helped to found the kibbutz winery and Peri built the community’s art gallery and sculpture garden.

Nir Oz was among the hardest-hit towns near the border with Gaza during the Hamas attack Oct. 7, when Palestinian militants stormed Israel, killing some 1,200 people and hauling around 250 hostages back to Gaza.

Israeli bombardments and ground operations in Gaza have killed more than 36,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.

Israel has been expanding its offensive in the southern city of Rafah, once the main hub of humanitarian aid operations. The Israeli invasion of Rafah has largely cut off the flow of food, medicine and other supplies to Palestinians facing widespread hunger.

Fox News’ Yonat Friling and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage announced Monday that he is running in this year’s upcoming United Kingdom general election, vowing to ‘make Britain great again.’ 

The decision from Farage comes less than two weeks after he said he would not take part in the race in order to focus his efforts on the U.S. presidential election. Farage previously has tried seven times to win a seat in the House of Commons and will now be seeking a seat in Clacton, a seaside town in eastern England, in the July 4 contest. 

‘So I’m back. I’m standing as a candidate in this election. I’ve taken the leadership over of Reform UK,’ Farage said in a video posted to X, referring to the successor of the Brexit Party. ‘You know why? I see our country going down the drain. I believe in Britain. These boring idiots that lead the Labour and Conservative parties are not worth the space.’

‘Let’s make Britain great again,’ he added. 

In a news conference announcing his candidacy, Farage said Monday that ‘this is the immigration election.’ 

‘We have to build a new house every two minutes just to accommodate those that are legally coming into Britain. The impact on the health service, the impact on infrastructure, on everything else, we have to get a grip. It is the major issue of our times. The population explosion has devalued the life of ordinary Britains in just the most extraordinary way,’ he added. 

On May 23, Farage – a supporter of former President Trump – said he would not be running because ‘important though the general election is, the contest in the United States of America on Nov. 5 has huge global significance.’

‘A strong America as a close ally is vital for our peace and security,’ Farage said at the time. ‘I intend to help with the grassroots campaign in the USA in any way that I can.’ 

Farage said Monday during his campaign announcement that he changed his mind on running ‘because I can’t let down millions of people who would feel let down by me, unless I was at the front and led this charge.’ 

Republican lawmakers Sen. Tim Scott and Rep. Mike Lawler are pressing the Biden administration to censure Iran at the next International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meeting due to its heightened nuclear activities and guarantee that steps are taken to thwart Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons.

On Monday afternoon, the pair will introduce a resolution that would also ‘refer the issue to the U.N. Security Council, and reaffirm that all measures will be taken to prevent the regime in Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.’ 

‘In the 18 months since the IAEA last held Iran accountable, the regime’s destabilizing behavior has skyrocketed. Its terrorist proxies have attacked our troops, brought global commerce to a halt, and ignited the brutal conflict in Gaza,’ Scott said. ‘Last month, Iran stepped out from the shadows to attack Israel directly, and all the while, the regime has steadily increased its nuclear buildup.’ 

The IAEA seeks to promote ‘the peaceful use of nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons,’ according to its website. 

The resolution, which was first shared with Fox News Digital, says the U.S. should commit to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and urges the Biden administration to pursue punitive measures for Iran’s violations of international non-proliferation agreements. 

It condemns Iran’s obstruction of monitoring and verification activities by the IAEA and calls for sanctions on Iran’s nuclear and missile programs.

‘Iran is the greatest state sponsor of terror in the world and there is no greater national security threat than a nuclear Iran,’ Lawler said in a statement. ‘Unfortunately, a foreign policy of weakness and appeasement has emboldened the Islamic Republic, which is now closer than ever to having nuclear weapons. Enough is enough.’

The five-page resolution also ’emphasizes the need for a coordinated international response to address the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program and calls on all nations to join the United States in taking decisive action to ensure Iran does not acquire nuclear weapons and to uphold nuclear non-proliferation standards in the Middle East and beyond.’

Sens. Bill Cassidy, R-La., John Cornyn, R-Texas, Tom Cotton, R-Ark., Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., are cosponsoring the Senate’s version of the resolution. 

In the House, the resolution is cosponsored by Reps. John James, R-Mich., Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., Young Kim, R-Calif., Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, and Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J.

In February, the head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog warned that Iran is ‘not entirely transparent’ regarding its atomic program, particularly after an official who once led Tehran’s program announced the Islamic Republic has all the pieces for a weapon ‘in our hands.’

Iran, after the collapse of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, has pursued nuclear enrichment just below weapons-grade levels. Tehran has accumulated enough enriched uranium to build several weapons if it chooses.

Critics of the Biden administration’s Iran policy argue the White House strategy of de-escalation and containment targeting Iran’s atomic program has backfired. Iran’s regime — the world’s worst state-sponsor of international terrorism — is moving at an astonishingly fast pace to secure an operational nuclear weapon.

In April, Fox News Digital obtained the intelligence agency report for Germany’s most populous state, Nordrhein-Westfalen, which highlighted ongoing intensive procurement efforts by Iran in Germany for its nuclear and missile programs, suggesting that Iran is engaged in proliferation-relevant activities to bypass existing sanctions.

In a response to Fox News’ Digital request for comment after publication, a National Security Council spokesperson said officials are ‘actively increasing pressure on Iran through a combination of sanctions, deterrence, and international isolation to counter Iran’s destabilizing behavior and prevent them from obtaining a nuclear weapon, which President Biden has been clear he will not allow.’

‘This includes pressure at the IAEA.  Any notion that we are backing off is false,’ the spokesperson said. ‘We will continue to focus on degrading Iran’s capabilities, while strengthening those of our partners and allies.’

The Associated Press and Fox News Digital’s Benjamin Weinthal contributed to this report. 

Prominent pro-life organization Susan B. Anthony (SBA) Pro-Life America is urging Republican candidates not to stick their heads in the sand ahead of the 2024 elections, but rather paint Democrats as unpopular on abortion.

Since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturned nearly 50 years of precedent that effectively legalized abortion, Democrats have attributed political wins to the unpopularity of pro-life causes.

But SBA said in a memo, sent to Republican leaders and committees Monday, that Democrats’ message is more fearmongering than fact, and it wants GOP candidates to emphasize that Democrats want to place America ‘on a short list of the most pro-abortion countries in the world.’

‘There are no protections for the unborn that Democrats can bring themselves to support, and they are consistently on the record opposing the protection of unborn babies when they can feel pain, even legislation to provide basic health care for a baby born alive after a failed abortion,’ the SBA memo says.

Working with a pollster and former adviser to Trump, SBA says a winning message for Republican candidates involves stressing support for mothers at all stages of pregnancy and childbirth. 

‘The message that performed the strongest in moving voters is driving a strong contrast between Democrat support for the so-called Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) and GOP support for providing real options and support for mothers in need and opposition to the WHPA,’ SBA wrote. The research was conducted by Adam Schaeffer of Evolving Strategies, a behavioral science and political data firm.

The WHPA passed the House in 2022, but failed in the Senate. Billed as a codification of Roe v. Wade, the measure goes beyond enshrining the 1973 abortion ruling and effectively would make it impossible to restrict abortion at any stage, according to SBA. 

‘In our test, the WHPA was characterized as sweeping federal legislation that would wipe away nearly all state limitations on abortion, even those that limit late-term abortions on healthy babies and ensure parental involvement when a young girl becomes pregnant,’ the SBA memo said. 

The other part of the ‘winning’ message involved support for pregnant women and help for mothers – including expanding child tax credits.

‘GOP support for mothers in need was characterized in our testing as offering women real options to choose life and embracing policies that would streamline adoption services, increase the child tax credit, make baby items tax-free, and provide funding to pregnancy care centers and maternity homes. Further, women should be informed about the financial help and adoption services available so she can make an educated choice,’ the SBA memo said.

SBA said it is committed to delivering its message to key presidential and congressional battleground states of Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio and Montana.

But without individual candidates joining the messaging, SBA indicated that Democrats would continue to see success in their spreading ‘falsehoods and fearmongering’ in favor of abortion access.

‘Most importantly, candidates themselves must draw this contrast and put money behind it. The ‘ostrich strategy’ from 2022 of candidates putting their heads in the sand cannot be repeated. This is urgent for GOP Senate candidates, who continue to trail across key races despite President Trump holding a consistent lead at the top of the ticket across those same states,’ SBA’s memo states.

Trump has ruffled feathers in the pro-life movement for his approach to abortion following the Dobbs decision. He criticized Florida’s restriction on abortion in most cases after six weeks of pregnancy as cruel, but has indicated he would consider a national ban on abortion at 15 weeks. 

He has also said abortion restrictions should be a state issue, pushing back on calls for a nationwide protection of life bill, but in numerous rallies and speeches has criticized Democrats for wanting abortion to be legal up to and after birth.

‘Democrats and their abortion industry allies will not stop until America becomes a global abortion factory where women are forced into abortion and find few options when choosing life,’ SBA said. ‘If this happens it will put the pro-life movement in an even worse position than it faced under the Roe regime. We must unite and stop them before it is too late.’

The Indian Ocean tourist destination Maldives is now banning Israelis from entering its territory in an apparent retaliatory move over the war in Gaza. 

The government of the predominantly Muslim island nation announced that President Mohammed Muizzu enacted the ban this week following a recommendation from his cabinet. 

‘The Cabinet decision includes amending necessary laws to prevent Israeli passport holders from entering the Maldives and establishing a Cabinet subcommittee to oversee these efforts,’ his office said in a statement, adding that ‘the President decided to appoint a special envoy to assess Palestinian needs.’ 

‘The President further decided to set up a fundraising campaign to assist our brothers and sisters in Palestine with the help of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and to conduct a nationwide rally under the slogan ‘Falastheenaa Eku Dhivehin,’ which translates to ‘Maldivians in Solidarity with Palestine’ to show support,’ the statement also said. 

UNRWA has recently faced allegations that some of its employees participated in Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7, which launched the war in Gaza. 

Israel’s foreign ministry responded to Muizzu’s ban by urging Israelis to stay away from the Maldives. 

‘For Israeli citizens already in the country, it is recommended to consider leaving, because if they find themselves in distress for any reason, it will be difficult for us to assist,’ the ministry said, according to Reuters. 

The U.S. State Department, which said last year that it has provided $36 million in bilateral foreign assistance to the Maldives since 2018, did not immediately respond Monday to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

The State Department says the constitution of the Maldives ‘designates Islam as the state religion, requires citizens to be Muslim, and requires public office holders, including the President, to be followers of Sunni Islam.’ 

‘The law states that both the government and the people must protect religious unity, and propagation of any religion other than Islam is a criminal offense,’ it adds. 

Last year, around 11,000 Israelis visited the Maldives, around 0.6% of its total tourist arrivals, The Associated Press reported.

Jonathan Schanzer, the senior vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington, told Fox News Digital that ‘The Maldives government now aligns itself with the likes of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Syria, Algeria, Kuwait and other authoritarian Muslim world states,’ which also ban Israeli passport holders.

‘This will not likely bode well for the Maldives over time. Joining this alliance is often a sign of corruption, radicalization and even exploitation by outside actors,’ he added.

Rev. Johnnie Moore, president of The Congress of Christian Leaders, also responded to the ban on X by saying, ‘If the Maldives aren’t safe for Israelis then they aren’t safe for any of us.’ 

‘The Congress of Christian Leaders is issuing a global travel warning: no Christian should feel safe in a country where Islamic extremists determine national policy,’ he also said.