Rising Living Costs Dominate US Midterm Election Campaign

Economic pressures have become a defining issue in the final stretch of the 2026 US midterm elections, as voters across battleground states struggle with rising housing, grocery, fuel and healthcare expenses. With congressional control at stake in Tuesday's election, Democrats are criticizing President Donald Trump over economic policies and the war in Iran, while Republicans argue that the country's economic fundamentals have improved.

Financial concerns are influencing voters across political affiliations, with many questioning whether their incomes can keep pace with essential expenses. Interviews conducted by The New York Times, CNN, The Washington Post and The Guardian reveal widespread frustration over household budgets and declining financial security.

A CNN investigation involving more than four dozen Americans across six episodes found that 74% of respondents rated the economy poorly. The report highlighted a growing disconnect between official economic indicators and people's everyday experiences.

Prices have increased 6.8% since December 2024, while average hourly wages have risen 5.9%, according to figures cited by CNN. Although inflation may be slowing, consumers are still paying substantially more for essential goods and services.

In Cleveland, Jolene Simecek saw her monthly rent increase from $785 to nearly $1,600 over seven years. Her income did not experience comparable growth.

“When I file my taxes, my income is definitely not doubled,” said Simecek.

In Tampa, Phebie White experienced a similar financial squeeze as her rent increased from $850 to $1,250 while her Social Security payments remained relatively unchanged.

“Your bills are going to go up, but your Social Security is not going to go up,” White said.

Housing expenses are not the only source of pressure. Insurance, groceries, childcare and electricity have created additional financial burdens, leaving some households vulnerable to unexpected expenses.

White said maintaining car insurance has become a priority because she considers her vehicle a potential emergency shelter.

“Just in case I need to sleep in it, and I pray that that never happens,” White said.

She also described how some people experiencing housing insecurity conceal their circumstances from others.

“You won't know that they're sleeping in their car until they tell you,” White said.

CNN also documented the experiences of Elen Trosino, a 64-year-old cancer survivor who had been living in her vehicle for approximately a week, and Sheila Scarborough, a veteran in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, who slept in her car most nights for seven weeks after losing electricity at home.

In the Outer Banks, tour guide Stu Laird experienced frostbite, three hospital stays and a broken hip after living in his truck until its battery failed during a January storm.

Financial difficulties have also affected workers whose wages have failed to match rising employment-related expenses. In Lorain County, Ohio, Gina Jones and her colleagues at the county's Job and Family Services department have been on strike since February 2026.

Jones said employees face stagnant starting wages of approximately $15 an hour while healthcare expenses continue increasing.

“They don't pay a living wage any more. They used to,” Jones said.

She explained that family healthcare coverage, previously costing $35 monthly, is scheduled to reach $600 in January for the same coverage.

“Our healthcare coverage has stayed the same, but the cost of it has changed significantly. It used to be $35 a month for a family. In January it's going to be $600 a month for a family for the same coverage,” Jones said.

Jones also emphasized the financial difficulties faced by employees who serve low-income residents.

“We service the clients of Lorain County that are the poorest of the community, and some of the people that work at Job and Family Services qualify for those same services,” she said.

Management offered a different account of the stalled labor negotiations. Deputy director Daniel Petticord said the county believed it had recognized employees' contributions while maintaining financial responsibility.

“Management believes it recognizes the important efforts of our bargaining unit employees while maintaining fiscal responsibility,” Petticord said in an email.

In Minneapolis, special education paraprofessional Bob Mattila is seeking legislation that would raise compensation for him and his colleagues to $25 an hour while reducing healthcare expenses.

“We simply aren't paid enough for the vitally important work that we do,” Mattila said.

He also described the financial importance of political representation for workers struggling with everyday expenses.

“Money, power and respect. Those three things are critical to what we need out of our work and what we deserve from our elected officials,” Mattila said.

He added that fuel expenses have become increasingly difficult to manage on his current income.

“Having very labor-friendly people in places of power is going to give workers like me things that we need to live, because we're at a point where I can't afford to put $50 of gas every time when I fill up my car when I'm not even making $25 an hour,” Mattila said.

Labor organizations see economic concerns as an important factor in the election. Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, said affordability has become a central issue in political campaigns across the country.

“The labor movement's been talking about the issues that affect workers and the kitchen table for decades, and we're now seeing that everybody else got the memo,” Shuler said.

She identified housing, fuel, groceries and healthcare as major sources of financial pressure on working families.

“It's pervasive. Everywhere I travel, every campaign that you see is talking about what working people are struggling through, and it's the cost of gas, groceries, rent and healthcare, but it's also the fact that our pay just can't keep up with the rising prices,” Shuler said.

In Detroit, Michigan, 27-year-old Bailee Porter, a United Auto Workers member who previously worked at Detroit Diesel, has been campaigning for candidates including Democratic Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed.

Porter said rising prices have forced households to reconsider spending on basic necessities.

“It's just costly on every aspect. It's disrupting people's routines, so it's ridiculous. Food, gas.

I don't even want to talk about utility bills. It's just insane,” Porter said.

She also called for policy changes to make essential goods and services more affordable.

“Things should be affordable. Your basic necessities have to be affordable. There's just no other way around it.

They have to be. Legislation needs to be changed or enforced or written to where it can help the middle class and labor,” Porter said.

According to a 2026 report from United for ALICE, 41.3% of US households, representing more than 54.5 million households, experienced financial hardship in 2024. The figure includes 12.5% living below the federal poverty threshold and 28.8% classified as ALICE, meaning asset-limited, income-constrained and employed.

The federal poverty thresholds cited in the report were $15,060 annually for an individual and $31,200 for a family of four. Economist Stephanie Hoopes, director of United for ALICE, said conventional poverty measurements fail to capture the full extent of financial difficulties.

“The percent of people that are struggling is so much higher than our official statistics are revealing,” Hoopes said.

The New York Times also documented widespread dissatisfaction among voters, including Dwayne Stanford, a father of eight in suburban Cincinnati who voted exclusively for Democratic candidates during early voting.

“The prices of everything we normally buy have gone up and up dramatically,” Stanford said.

“It's just the everyday stuff,” he added.

Meanwhile, CNN reported that some younger Americans increasingly describe their financial circumstances as recession-like despite official economic indicators showing otherwise. In Atlanta, Kay Jones summarized the sentiment among her friends.

“We're in a recession,” Jones said.