The poll reveals widespread pessimism across the political spectrum over high prices. Two-thirds of those surveyed said that gas and grocery prices are their most important issues heading into the November vote, followed by living expenses, healthcare costs and foreign affairs.
Independent voters, expected to decide swing races, are turning sharply negative. Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) said the economy is worse, up from 48 percent who said the same in September 2024 during the presidential election. Even within the Republican Party, optimism has waned: just 28 percent of Republicans now say the economy is getting better, down from 49 percent in February 2026 just before the US launched attacks against Iran.
Recent inflation data showed annualized prices rose 3.7 percent in September, the highest reading before a midterm election excluding the pandemic since 1990. Energy prices have been especially high since the Iran war, with average gas prices up $1.20 per gallon compared with a year ago. California drivers are paying on average $6.20 per gallon, according to AAA.
Democratic candidates in swing races are seizing on the affordability crisis. James Talarico, a US Senate candidate in Texas, released a campaign ad in which he holds a paper bag of groceries. “Too many Texans feel like they’re drowning, the cost of groceries, gas, healthcare,” he says. In Michigan, Democrat Abdul el-Sayed told a campaign event: “My name is not the reason your gas prices are through the roof. My name is not the reason you can’t afford your groceries.”
The poll found that 96 percent of Republicans agree that there is an affordability crisis, though Americans remain divided over how to address it.