Working-Class Voters Waver on Trump as 81% Say Gas Prices Strain Household Budgets
Updated
Updated · The New Yorker · May 23
Working-Class Voters Waver on Trump as 81% Say Gas Prices Strain Household Budgets
4 articles · Updated · The New Yorker · May 23
More working-class voters who backed Donald Trump in 2024 are showing signs of disaffection, with some Pennsylvania union and Latino voters reporting anger over gas prices, inflation and the Iran war.
Polls point the same way: 81% in an NPR/PBS/Marist survey said higher gas prices were straining budgets, and 63% of those voters blamed Trump; a CNN poll found three-fourths said his policies raised local living costs.
A March survey of nearly 2,000 Trump supporters found more than half of 2024 Biden-to-Trump switchers do not plan to back a Republican presidential nominee in 2028, even before the latest fuel-price spike.
That wavering is concentrated among noncollege and working-class Black and Latino voters, suggesting Trump's 2024 multiracial coalition could fray, though many disillusioned voters still say they are undecided rather than Democratic.
The opening for Democrats is real but limited: a separate swing-state survey found populist economic proposals drew broad support, yet voters were 8% more likely to back the same message from an Independent than a Democrat.
How does sustained economic pressure reshape the financial priorities and outlook of American working-class families?
With tariffs adding $1,500 to household costs, are intended economic benefits like new manufacturing jobs being realized?
Beyond high gas prices, what cascading global supply chain disruptions stem from the Strait of Hormuz closure?
The 2026 Economic Squeeze: Rising Costs, Working-Class Discontent, and the Battle for Midterm Control
Overview
As the 2026 midterm elections approach, American households are under financial pressure due to persistently high costs, especially for gasoline. Working- and middle-class families are feeling this squeeze, with gas prices elevated nationwide and real wages declining after inflation. These economic challenges are shaping public sentiment and political discourse, as families struggle to afford daily necessities. The global oil supply and regional factors drive gas price differences, but the overall impact is a decline in purchasing power. This economic strain is fueling dissatisfaction with current leadership and is set to play a major role in the upcoming elections.