WASHINGTON — A recent Associated Press‑NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll released ahead of the November 3 midterm elections shows Democrats pulling ahead of Republicans on two of the nation’s most pressing issues: the cost of living and the overall economy.
Democrats lead on cost of living and economy
The survey of 2,140 adults, including 1,766 registered voters, found that 38% of registered voters say the Democratic Party would be better at handling the cost of living, compared with 27% who favor the Republican Party. When asked about the economy, roughly four in ten registered voters now pick the Democrats, up from 26% of U.S. adults in February.
Voter confidence in both parties remains low
Despite these gains for Democrats, the poll reveals deep cynicism toward both major parties. Only about two in ten registered voters describe either party as “able to solve important problems” or “focused on helping people like me.” The same share of respondents says the same about the Republican Party.
More than half of registered voters (55%) view the Republican Party as “too extreme,” while 45% apply that label to the Democratic Party. The perception that Republicans are “focused on helping rich and powerful people” was echoed by about six in ten registered voters, compared with roughly three in ten who said the same about Democrats.
Public frustration with partisan gridlock
Respondents expressed frustration with the ongoing partisan stalemate in Congress. The poll notes that the federal government has experienced two partial shutdowns in the past year due to disputes over spending on health‑care and immigration enforcement. While the Democratic Party held majorities early in President Joe Biden’s administration, the poll points out that the party fell short on key priorities such as abortion rights, voting rights, and raising the minimum wage.
One voter, Aaron Siever, a 41‑year‑old former police officer who now leads Civil War battlefield tours in southwest Virginia, said the constant blame‑shifting between parties “really messes up chances of getting anything done.” Siever added that rising travel costs have forced him to raise his tour prices, underscoring how everyday Americans feel the pinch of higher prices.
Methodology
The AP‑NORC poll was conducted September 24‑28 using a probability‑based AmeriSpeak Panel designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 2.9 percentage points for adults overall and plus or minus 3.1 percentage points for registered voters.
While Democrats have made measurable gains on these issues, the overall lack of confidence in either party to solve problems suggests a challenging road ahead for all candidates as they head into the midterm elections.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
