Drivers at gas stations nationwide now spend about $100 to fill up a basic Ford F-150—$30 more than last year. Mortgage rates have gone up, slowing home sales. For the past year, consumer prices have outpaced wage growth, which has left many families with less buying power. Official data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that in the third quarter of 2026, median weekly earnings for the nation’s 122.2 million full-time wage and salary workers reached $1,232, a 1.5% increase from the same period a year earlier. But the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers rose 3.5% over the same period, resulting in a roughly 2% drop in inflation-adjusted median weekly earnings. This gap between nominal pay and consumer prices means that, even with bigger paychecks, the typical full-time worker’s purchasing power slipped. BLS data also show that women earned a median of $1,127 per week compared with $1,352 for men, or 83.4% of men’s median earnings.
President Donald Trump continues to promote what he calls an economic “golden age,” but many Americans are dealing with higher costs for daily necessities. As the midterm elections approach, these financial pressures have become a central issue for voters, with some blaming Trump’s policies for their struggles.
Voters react to rising expenses
In Easley, South Carolina, Misty Reeder, who receives disability payments, described how her rent has increased by hundreds of dollars over six years. She voted for Democrats this cycle, saying, “Something’s gotta give. It’s like a dam—the pressure’s too much, and it’s going to break.”
Some Republican voters voice concern as well. Sandra Capell, also from Easley, said she wants to see economic change, noting, “I think everybody is kind of suffering when it comes to groceries, gas, everything really.”
Business owners are feeling the impact too. Beti Rosales, who runs a Mexican restaurant in Allentown, Pennsylvania, said the cost of ingredients and services has risen. After previously supporting Trump, she is now considering voting Democratic, explaining, “The reality now is that it actually didn’t get better. It actually got worse. The prices of everything have increased.”
Policy decisions and economic pressures
Trump’s administration has implemented double-digit tariffs on major trading partners, including the European Union, India, Japan, Canada, and Mexico, sparking trade disputes. The U.S. government has also taken stakes in several private companies and enacted broad income tax cuts. Despite these moves, inflation has persisted. When Trump took office, inflation stood at 3%, rising to 3.7% last month, even as the president claimed it was under 2% and “under control.”
Record-high diesel prices have increased shipping and farming costs, affecting states like Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, and Texas, where Democrats are now competitive in races that could determine control of Congress. According to AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, “The costs of things are absolutely the first thing people talk about, but also it’s their pay not keeping up with the cost. It’s a double whammy.”
Fuel markets have also faced significant pressures. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that refinery utilization averaged more than 95% of capacity from May through September 2026, the highest average for those months since 1998. This unusually high operating rate was driven by tight global supplies of refined petroleum products, which boosted product margins and incentivized refiners—particularly diesel producers—to increase throughput. These conditions show how fuel prices are influenced by international refined-product markets and refinery economics, not just by domestic crude production or presidential policy. EIA analysis noted that tight global product supplies and higher margins for petroleum products, especially diesel, were key drivers of the increased run rates.
Political fallout and campaign rhetoric
Democrats have seized on the cost-of-living issue, targeting vulnerable Republican incumbents. Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff told a rally, “Now remember, they promised to lower prices on Day One. Instead, under the failed President Donald J. Trump, it costs more than ever in American history to fill up your truck, stock your fridge, visit the doctor or power your home.”
In New York, Democratic candidate Cait Conley referenced Republican Rep. Mike Lawler’s past advice to voters to “fill up your tank and go grocery shopping—it will inform your decision.” Her campaign now urges voters to do the same and judge the system’s performance for themselves.
Some Republicans, including Stephen Moore, who has advised Trump on economic policy, acknowledge the frustration. Moore said, “It’s frustrating because Trump’s done so many good things for the economy. But with the Iran situation, that’s really had a big effect on the economy, and Republicans may pay a high price for that.”
While some Trump supporters remain optimistic, others, like Amy Richards in Round Rock, Texas, argue that the president is out of touch with the financial realities facing ordinary Americans. Richards said, “He has zero idea what it is like to receive a paycheck and have to feed yourself and your family, and he doesn’t care.”
As the midterms draw near, the gap between the administration’s economic messaging and the lived experience of many voters remains a defining issue in the campaign. For more details on the economic data and wage trends, see the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Usual Weekly Earnings Summary.
