As the 2026 Midterms Approach, Economy Is Front and Center

A new Pew Research Center survey found that economic issues, particularly prices and affordability, are the top concerns voters want congressional candidates to address, outpacing immigration, healthcare, foreign policy and other issues. The research also found Americans are nearly evenly split on which party they trust more on economic policy (37% Democratic, 36% Republican), reflecting continued uncertainty about the nation's economic direction despite the economy remaining the dominant issue heading into the election.

The findings reinforce that affordability continues to shape consumer attitudes regardless of political affiliation. For businesses, emphasizing value, savings and return on investment is likely to resonate with consumers as economic concerns remain front and center across industries including retail, automotive, financial services, healthcare, home improvement and travel.