Two years after Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump staged a New Jersey press conference to spotlight inflation under Democrats, food prices are still rising despite his pledge to bring them down. The gap between promise and reality now looms as a vulnerability for Republicans ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Rising Grocery Prices
Standing between tables piled high with fruit, beef, cereal, milk and other household staples at his Bedminster golf club on August 15, 2024, Trump blamed the Biden administration for sharp increases in groceries. However, a Reuters analysis of 26 grocery categories tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found prices have risen 3.4% in the first 19 months of his second term.
Sheila Carney, a 68-year-old Trump voter, expressed frustration with the rising prices, saying, ‘This is real. He can say it’s not, but it is.’ Carney has delayed retirement while helping pay off her son’s student loans and is now considering sitting out the midterms due to high grocery and gasoline prices.
Voter Sentiment
A Reuters/Ipsos poll found Trump’s net approval rating on his handling of the cost of living was at -47%, down from -6% at the start of his term. The issue hits close to home for many voters, including Margaret Derkach, who typically votes Republican but is now considering switching her vote if economic conditions don’t improve.
Democratic candidate Rebecca Bennett is seeking to capitalize on voters’ frustration over the cost of living, promising to undo Trump’s tariffs, rein in the Iran war, and restore food stamp benefits to help families struggling to afford groceries.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
