More than any other year since the aftermath of 9/11, this November’s polling contest is shaping up to have a greater focus on terrorism, national security and foreign policy. According to The Hill published on Jan. 30th.
The dynamic was on full view during the Republican presidential debate this week, when mentions of “terror” outnumbered mentions of the economy by nearly three to one.
“It’s the No. 1 issue,” Sen, John McCain (R-Ariz.), the Republican Party’s 2008 presidential nominee, said this week.

The reason why is simple

“San Bernardino,” McCain claimed. “Two words.”
The attack in the California city was the deadliest violence by Islamic extremist on U.S. soil since 9/11, and prompted a wave of new focus on the issue — particularly among Republicans.
“The threat we face from ISIS is unprecedented,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said on Thursday evening, referring to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. “We must keep America safe from this threat.”

For political scientists, the focus seems natural.

“The economy is always the most important issue — except in times of war,” said Allan Lichtman, a political historian at American University.
“Many people believe we are at war, that the security of the nation is at stake that survival is at stake,” he added. “And that tends to overshadow all other issues.”
Economic indicators are largely positive, despite occasional indications of a looming downturn.
But concern about national security is at a high not seen since in the post-9/11 era, according to the Pew Research Center.
That makes national security a natural attack line for Republicans.
In the three headline GOP presidential debates the Dec. 2 attack in San Bernardino, which killed 14 people, the word “terror,” “terrorist” or something similar was mentioned 121 times. The word “economy” was mentioned only 29 times.
Democrats have been less focused on the issue, due in large part to Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) overwhelming focus on financial equality.

Yet front-runner Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of State, is likely to confront the issue head-on should she reach the general election.
In part, the post-primary contest is shaping up to be a referendum on Clinton’s tenure in the State Department, and on Obama’s national security legacy.