More Americans name the government as the nation’s top problem in Gallup’s latest poll, which encompassed the rocky start of the 118th Congress’ term. With high prices persisting, inflation remains the second most-cited problem (15%), and amid elevated tensions about the southern U.S. border, illegal immigration edged up three percentage points to 11%. Mentions of the economy in general fell six points, to 10%, the lowest reading in a year. …

The government ranks as the top problem for both Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (24%) and Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents (18%). Inflation and immigration are each cited by 18% of Republicans, while mentions of inflation (11%), the economy in general and race relations (9% each) trail the government among Democrats. Democrats are more likely than Republicans to view unifying the country and the environment as top problems.

[We have seen this before, of course, going all the way back to Ronald Reagan. It became enough of an issue in the Barack Obama years that he launched a campaign to highlight all the ways in which government improved lives — which ran into reality with the launch of ObamaCare. Now even a plurality of Democrats and leaners see it as the most significant issue, twice as many as those who say the economy or race relations. If Republicans can cohere around a liberty-based agenda for 2024, the opportunity is there for a landslide. — Ed]