Economy ousts Iraq as top issue for US voters

The state of the US economy has superseded Iraq for the first time as the voters' chief concern, according to a new CNN poll.

The ballooning trade deficit, weak dollar and mortgage crisis have contributed to 29 per cent saying the economy was their top issue, compared to 23 per cent citing Iraq.

Terrorism now ranks as only the fifth most important issue, falling behind both health care and immigration.

Hillary Clinton, the frontrunner for the Democratic party's nomination, said recently: "I'd describe the economy as a kind of trapdoor where you're one medical diagnosis or a missed mortgage payment away from dropping through and losing everything."

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