Trump Tax Cuts Lose Punch as Inflation Climbs Ahead of 2026 Midterms

7 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · May 13

Rising prices are blunting Trump’s tax-cut pitch to voters, with inflation still climbing Tuesday as the Iran war adds pressure to fuel, food and rent costs before the 2026 midterms.
North Carolina’s Senate race has become a test case: Republican Michael Whatley is selling “no tax on tips” and other breaks, while Democrat Roy Cooper argues an affordability crisis is overwhelming any gains.
Voters interviewed by AP described that squeeze in personal terms — bartender Evan Duke said tax breaks could save him a few thousand dollars, but he still cannot afford health insurance and worries about shrinking customer spending.
Democrats see that frustration as a path to retake Congress, especially in North Carolina, where Thom Tillis is retiring and Cooper’s Medicaid-expansion record gives him a centrist opening with swing voters.
The political reversal is striking: inflation hurt Joe Biden’s party in 2024, but Republicans now face the same backlash as Trump asks voters to stay patient with an economy strained by war and higher prices.

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