As the Nov. 3 U.S. congressional elections approach, a national poll found most Republicans assign greater responsibility for high prices to forces beyond President Donald Trump’s control, despite widespread concern about living costs.
The Sept. 24-28 AP-NORC survey put the Republican share at 67%. Republicans were also critical of Trump’s performance: 52% said he had handled living costs worse than they expected. Across all U.S. adults, 65% assigned greater responsibility for high prices to his policies, and only 17% approved of his handling of living costs.
An Oct. 8-12 AP-NORC survey found 84% of voters considered the cost of living one of the most important issues in choosing how to vote in the midterms.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that consumer prices rose 3.7% in the year through September. Its gasoline index increased 9.1% in September after adjustment for seasonal patterns.
Al Jazeera reported that Pennsylvania landscaping business owner Calvin Ott said rising fuel expenses had prompted him to lay off more than a dozen employees and add a surcharge to customers’ bills. Ott continued to back the president. “I support him 100 percent,” he told Al Jazeera.
A Reuters/Ipsos survey conducted Sept. 17-20 found 44% of Republicans approved of Trump’s handling of living costs, compared with 70% in January. His overall approval among Republicans was 73%, down from 86% in January. A previous EconoTimes report covered a separate poll in which 77% disapproved of his handling of living costs.
AP-NORC’s polling offers an earlier comparison. In October 2022, 87% of Democrats attributed high prices mainly to factors beyond President Joe Biden’s control, while 44% of adults placed greater responsibility on his policies.
The election is Nov. 3. The next scheduled Consumer Price Index report, covering October, is due Nov. 10 at 8:30 a.m. ET.
