Republicans are increasingly worried that President Donald Trump’s failure to rein in inflation could severely damage the GOP in next year’s midterms.
Lawmakers and party insiders told Axios that unless Trump can curb rising prices on everyday items such as food and prescription drugs, or present a clear plan to ensure his sweeping tariff policies won’t drive up costs even further, the GOP risks losing control of Congress next November.
The GOP, which holds a razor-thin majority in the House, will be desperately seeking any advantage to maintain control of the lower chamber, especially since historically the ruling party in the White House suffers significant losses in midterm elections.
“We don’t want Democrats making campaign ads about $8 Lucky Charms and grandma unable to get her prescriptions because of tariff-driven shortages,” one Republican operative told Axios. “Voters care a ton, and Republicans need to talk more about fighting this.”
In virtually all election cycles, the economy is the top issue for voters, with inflation and Trump’s tariff plans likely to dominate the 2026 campaigns.
Polling by Republican firm GrayHouse, obtained by Axios, found that 25 percent of voters view inflation as the most pressing issue, more than double the second-most cited concern of government corruption.
The current rate of U.S. inflation is 2.7 percent, down from levels seen during the Biden administration but still above the Federal Reserve’s target of 2 percent.
Republicans are also concerned that voters are losing trust in Trump’s handling of the economy, which has long been considered one of his key strengths while in office. A late August Economist/YouGov survey found that just 34 percent of voters approved of Trump’s handling of inflation, including 25 percent of his own 2024 supporters who now disapprove.
“The president’s approval rating has been remarkably resilient on the economy, immigration, and foreign policy,” Republican pollster Robert Blizzard told Axios.
“But since he took office, it’s been on a downward trajectory regarding inflation. This fatigue is giving Democrats an opening to hit the president on his signature issue.”
North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, who is not seeking re-election in 2026, warned that the GOP has only a few months to change the narrative on inflation, otherwise it could create “headwinds” in a cycle where Republicans are already expected to lose seats.
White House spokesperson Kush Desai defended Trump’s record in a statement to Axios, “President Trump pledged to end Joe Biden’s inflation crisis, and the administration’s supply-side policies have delivered,” he said. “Inflation is trending toward an annualized rate not seen in years, while the prices of gas, eggs, and other household essentials have declined.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for further comment from the Daily Beast
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