A new Politico poll conducted with research firm Public First finds that many Americans, including a notable share of Donald Trump’s 2024 voters, are holding the president responsible for the nation’s affordability crisis. Nearly half of respondents describe the cost of living as the worst they can remember, with groceries, housing and health care emerging as the top pain points — a warning sign for Republicans ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The Politico poll, conducted by Public First from November 14 to 17, surveyed 2,098 U.S. adults online and found that the high cost of living is the top priority for 56 percent of Americans, when respondents were asked to select up to three major issues facing the country. The survey’s findings were first reported by Politico and summarized by several outlets.
According to the poll, 46 percent of Americans say the cost of living in the United States is the worst they can ever remember it being, a view shared by 37 percent of 2024 Trump voters. That figure is similar to the 53 percent of Kamala Harris voters who say the same. Respondents identified groceries as the most difficult expense to afford (45 percent), followed by housing costs (38 percent) and health care (34 percent).
The survey also found that 43 percent of Americans — including 31 percent of Trump voters — believe there is less economic opportunity today than in the past. On the question of responsibility for current economic conditions and the affordability crisis, 46 percent of Americans say it is now Trump’s economy and that his administration holds most or all of the responsibility for the costs they struggle with, compared with 29 percent who primarily blame former President Joe Biden.
Among Trump’s 2024 supporters, nearly one in five — 18 percent — say the president holds full responsibility for the economy, according to reporting on the poll’s detailed crosstabs. The results underscore growing unease even within Trump’s own coalition.
That vulnerability is particularly evident among non-MAGA Trump supporters, who are more skeptical of the president’s economic record than those who identify with the Make America Great Again movement. In Politico’s reporting on the survey, 29 percent of non-MAGA Trump voters say Trump has had a chance to improve the economy but has not, roughly double the share among MAGA-aligned voters (11 percent). While three-quarters of Trump voters overall say they trust Republicans more than Democrats to lower costs, that trust is weaker among non-MAGA Trump voters, 61 percent of whom favor Republicans on affordability, compared with 88 percent among MAGA-identifying Trump voters.
Republican strategist Barrett Marson told Politico that the numbers pose a clear political risk for the White House. “Voters aren’t going to go, ‘I voted for Trump to better the economy, but Biden just hamstrung [him] too much,’” he said, warning that public frustration could quickly shift toward the president if conditions do not improve.
Democrats, meanwhile, see an opening on the issue. House Majority PAC spokesperson CJ Warnke said House Republicans should expect to face a wave of ads next year accusing them of breaking promises to lower prices, according to Politico. Republicans have pushed back, with National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Mike Marinella saying the party is focused on lowering costs, rebuilding prosperity and delivering relief for the middle class.
The online survey of 2,098 adults carries a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points. The results, which were weighted to reflect national demographics, highlight fractures within Trump’s coalition roughly one year into his second term, as consumer sentiment slumps and a majority of Americans say they are struggling with everyday expenses.
