Voters Head Into the Midterms in a Sour Economic Mood, With Prices Top of Mind

Americans are in a sour mood heading into Tuesday's midterm elections, Reuters reported Monday. On the eve of elections that will decide whether President Donald Trump's Republican Party keeps control of Congress, voters' minds are on the economy, with high and rising prices a key issue and many blaming his policies — specifically tariffs and the Iran war — for the nagging inflation. Trump is not on the ballot on November 3, but voters have his economic record in mind as they head to the polls.

The numbers tell a more complex story. The unemployment rate was 4.2 percent in September and has measured no higher than 4.5 percent for five straight years — the longest stretch on record — and weekly unemployment insurance claims are near a 57-year low, Reuters reported. The economy grew at a 3.4 percent annualized pace last quarter, its strongest performance this year, and business investment rose at an annualized 12.7 percent pace, helped by demand tied to artificial intelligence.

But households feel the pinch whenever they fill a gas tank, pay a utility bill or order a meal. Consumer surveys have generally deteriorated since Trump's second term began: the Conference Board's confidence measure perked up in October, while the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index registered a near-record low. Consumer prices and average hourly earnings have both risen about 5.5 percent since January 2025, Reuters reported — meaning workers are no worse off in purchasing power, but also no better — and 30-year mortgage rates that have topped 7 percent, combined with a housing shortage, have put home purchases out of reach for many. For Lee County voters, that mix — steady jobs, stubborn prices — is the backdrop against which every name on Tuesday's long ballot will be judged.