Rising inflation due to federal spending and an economy still struggling to bounce back to pre-government-mandated-shutdown numbers are some of the top issues plaguing voters who are mulling over which candidates they want to see in office following the 2022 midterms, a new poll from The Trafalgar Group and Convention of States Action suggests.
The poll offers insight to Democrats vulnerable in the 2022 midterms and the Biden administration, both of whom have repeatedly denied or downplayed the economic issues American families are facing on a day-to-day basis.
With rising gas prices, supply chain issues, and the upcoming holiday season, it’s no surprise that of the 1,092 respondents surveyed in November, 45 percent said that “restoring the economy and lowering inflation” was one of their top issues going into the 2022 midterm elections. Republicans, Democrats, and independents all expressed the desire to fix the economic circumstances exacerbated by government-mandated lockdowns, excessive spending, and other policies that hurt consumers in the long run by considering these issues when they head to the ballot box next year.
According to President of Convention of States Action Mark Meckler, Democrats’ messaging on economic issues is floundering even though 39.8 percent of Democrats say their top concern heading into midterms is the economic state of the United States and the toll it is taking on Americans.
“I think that this is going to hurt Democrats because there’s actually nothing that they’re announcing, that they have planned that will do anything to restore the economy or lower inflation,” Meckler told The Federalist. “In fact, basic economics tells you if you continue to pump money into an overheated economy, you’re going to continue to overheat the economy.”
While Americans struggle with rising grocery store prices, the Biden administration and corporate media are downplaying their fears and denying that these economic problems are major disruptions. This approach, according to Meckler, who talks to voters on the ground weekly, is not going to work on the majority of Americans regardless of their political preferences.
“I think [the Biden administration’s] rhetoric is, it’s landing flat with the American people,” Meckler said.
While Republicans have already taken great strides to close the gap on inflation messaging left by the administration and have begun hammering voters to consider a political change that doesn’t take such a high toll on their pocketbooks, Meckler conceded that the GOP isn’t off the hook for overspending.
“Republicans spent like drunken soldiers during the Trump administration, although that’s not fair to drunken soldiers in the least,” Meckler said. “I think it was bad, but the problem is, from a rhetorical perspective for Democrats, is that we didn’t see this runaway inflation during the Trump administration at all. … I think the Republicans are essentially rhetorically going to ignore any spending that took place during the Trump administration and just focus on the Biden administration.”
While Democrats, Republicans, and independents all see the economy as a problem worth addressing, respondents also said they will be considering other issues when it comes to selecting the right candidate to get the job done in 2022.
About a quarter of independents and 28.2 percent of Republicans said that “respecting individual rights and liberty” is another top issue they will consider when voting next year, a hot topic as censorship and COVID-19 vaccine mandates continue to affect Americans. Meanwhile, 29.8 percent of Democrats listed “climate change” as their next rising concern to take into account at the polls.
