BOCA RATON, Fla. — Florida is divided with Republicans on one side and Democrats on the other.
With the election less than a week away, the big question is: can the candidates change voters' minds with the economy at the forefront?
This is what we are supposed to do in America is vote," voter Charles Oesterle said. "This is what it's all about."
At a voting site west of Boca Raton, Oesterle is taking it all in. He said he has his reason for voting, and it's not the economy.
"I voted on the issues of abortion," he said.
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Voter Kelly Jin flagged her issue too.
"I want a better education for my kids, not indoctrination," Jin said. "I actually moved from Chicago to Florida for these things."
Some recent polls have shown inflation and the economy as the driving factor in midterms.
"I would say the economy is No. 1, yes," voter Bill Riley said. "Numbers are the facts, and they tell the truth."
A new POLITICO-Morning Consult poll shows voters' views on the economy could be set in stone. More than 60% of voters said they believe the U.S. is in a recession.
"I sort of think the polls are rubbish to be quite honest. I really don't trust them" voter Bernadette Colquhoun said. "I think I voted for sanity, professionalism."
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Kevin Wagner, a political science professor at Florida Atlantic University, said people's understanding of the state of the economy tends to be a big driver.
"We call that in political science, sociotropic voting, which essentially they look at the world around them, and if the economy is doing well, they credit to whoever is in power, and if the economy is not doing well, at least in their perception, they penalize the party in power," Wagner said.
Voters said it's those day-to-day costs influencing their voters.
"Every time I go to the grocery store, it costs so much more than what we used to pay, and every time you go to the gas station, you have to pay a lot," Jin said. "That is definitely a driving factor."
"With the economy, as far as food and fuel, they are finding it is much of a problem," Riley said.
Wagner said changes voters can see is what lead to a new perception.
"For example, if they go fill up their car, they might see the price is higher or lower than their expectation and that might change how they evaluate the state of the economy," Wagner said.
