Utahns' top issue is U.S. economy

The future of the economy is of utmost concern to Utah Republicans and Democrats.

A Deseret Morning News poll conducted by Dan Jones & Associates shows that 51 percent of Republicans and 45 percent of Democrats who planned to vote in the primary election last week believe the economy is the No. 1 concern facing a new president of the United States.

The war in Iraq was ranked No. 2 in importance to both parties, while national security issues and terrorism ranked third among Republicans polled and health care ranked third among Democrats.

None of the 317 Republican voters polled ranked the environment, taxes or global warming as a concern facing the next American president.

Only 1 percent of the 288 Democrats polled said they believed global warming, energy/oil issues, the budget deficit, environment and immigration were the most important national issue.

The poll was conducted with a random sampling of respondents in Utah who planned to vote in the Feb. 4 primary election. The margin of error is about 6.5 percent.