How much crime actually ended up being a critical issue in the election is difficult to pinpoint. Other polling confirmed that crime generally remained below other issues - particularly the economy - in voters' concerns. Pew Research found in October that violent crime was tied for fifth out of a list of 18 possible issues in terms of perceived importance to midterm voting. Crime was essentially tied for second with abortion in terms of being 'extremely important to the vote for Congress this year' in Gallup's October polling. Preelection polling, for its part, showed crime was important to voters, but not the most important. (Headlines proclaimed, 'Crime is the dark horse issue of this election,' 'Midterm voters key in on crime' and 'Rising crime nationwide fuels midterm elections.) Political ads in states with competitive races featured grainy surveillance footage capturing crimes being committed - with accompanying and often dubious assertions that such incidents resulted from the opposing party's malfeasance. There was a significant emphasis on crime in this year's preelection coverage and commentary.
