By Rajwa Quasim
More Americans now trust the Democratic Party over the Republican Party to handle the rising cost of living, giving Democrats an edge on the issue, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll. The advantage could influence the upcoming November midterm elections.
The poll, conducted over four days and completed Monday, asked about 951 registered voters which party they believe has a better plan for addressing the cost of living. About 36% chose the Democrats, while 28% chose the Republicans. The rest were either unsure or said neither party was doing a commendable job on the issue. It is the Democrats’ largest lead on the issue since Reuters and Ipsos began polling on it in October 2025.
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Economic concerns have become an important factor in the elections, particularly the prices of everyday essentials such as gasoline and food. Democrats began pulling ahead on the issue following President Donald Trump’s approach to the war with Iran. When the war began in February, it pushed gasoline prices close to record highs.
According to Republican political consultant Jeanette Hoffman, the trend is a warning sign for her party. She said, “I don’t think it’s great for Republicans.” She added that the Democrats’ 8-point lead is not necessarily a strong position either, as a significant percentage of respondents were unsure which party was better or felt neither was commendable. She said, “I would rather be eight points ahead on the issue versus eight points down. But I don’t think Democrats should be feeling great about it either.”
Political strategist Nicholas said the issue represents an easy advantage for the party currently out of power. He said, “This is an easy layup for the party out of power, which are the Democrats.”
The Republican strategist, discussing Trump’s policies, said, “Keeping prescription drug prices lower is a good start, but that seems to be getting lost within the overall healthcare area, in which prices seem to be galloping ahead of inflation every year. Voters feel gas and food prices, which are intertwined, every week when they go to the grocery store and gas station.”
The poll shows that only about half of Republicans approve of the Trump administration’s handling of the cost of living, while fewer than 8% gave the administration a thumbs-up overall. Trump’s overall approval rating has also fallen to its lowest level, with only 33% of respondents saying they approved of the Republican president’s performance in the White House. This is the lowest level recorded in Reuters/Ipsos polling during either of Trump’s terms.
The upcoming midterm elections will determine control of the U.S. House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats. With the cost of living emerging as a major issue, both parties are expected to make affordability a central theme of their campaigns.
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Democratic candidates are already making affordability a key issue in their midterm campaigns. In Texas, Senate candidate James Talarico has run television ads showing him carrying grocery bags to highlight the impact of rising prices. The strategy could help him in the upcoming election, where the race is viewed as leaning Republican or potentially a toss-up.
To counter this, Republican political consultant Jeanette Hoffman said Republican candidates should remind voters that the party has addressed affordability through tax cuts. She also urged them to warn that Democrats are becoming more extreme, with socialists gaining influence.
The poll highlights the challenge facing both major parties. Democrats have an opportunity to make the cost of living a central campaign issue, while Republicans need to convince voters that their policies are improving affordability or that measures already taken are having an impact.