WASHINGTON (AP) — The President donald trump It got serious Warning from voters He said he never mentioned their concerns about the deterioration of the U.S. economy.
Democrats were able to improve their scores in key races across the country on Tuesday by tapping into the same populist fervor that helped Trump get re-elected a year ago, but also by focusing on the dinner table issues that Republicans have vowed to solve. Currently, as the incumbent, Trump has become the face of many people’s dissatisfaction due to concerns about the economy.
voters of virginia and new jersey governor race, new york mayoral election and california ballot proposition each Ranked economic concerns as the most important issue. Democrats won all of these by a landslide, and it was difficult to point to any major elections where Republicans had significant victories.
The reversal of fortune from a year ago was clear. The voters at the time were brought Trump back to the White House He promised to quickly bring down inflation, revitalize factory jobs and shower the country with newfound wealth. high customs duties He imposed on America’s allies around the world.
Instead, voters are expressing concern that rising prices for groceries, electricity and housing are draining their bank accounts. As Mr. Trump promises to have strengthened the economy, it is unclear whether he will internalize the need to tackle the same inflation problems that hobbled his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden.
But there are few signs that the public has much confidence in Mr. Trump’s claims about America’s “golden age” or that inflation has subsided. Recently, President Trump pointed to the stock market when asked about Americans who are still concerned about soaring food prices.
“Look, 401(k)s. People have 401(k)s,” the president said in an interview on CBS News’ “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday. He said that although food prices are falling, the latest inflation report shows that food prices are up 2.7% compared to a year ago.
Overall consumer prices have risen 3% over the past 12 months, faster than they would have risen before Trump won the 2024 election. The Fed targets inflation at 2%.
“I don’t think it was good for the Republican Party.”
meanwhile the stock market is soaring And while life is smooth sailing for tech executives investing in artificial intelligence, hiring slowed significantly this summer in the wake of President Trump’s tariffs.
of Associated Press Voter Poll Concerns about the economy showed they helped Democrats on Tuesday.
About half of Virginia voters say the economy is their top issue, and about 6 in 10 voters choose the Democratic Party. abigail spanberger For the governor, it was the force that led her to a decisive victory.
Democratic Party in New Jersey Mikie Sherrill Approximately two-thirds of voters said the economy was the biggest issue facing the state. Republican Jack Ciatarelli won the support of about 6 out of 10 New Jersey voters who said “taxes” were their top issue.
More than half of New York City voters say the cost of living is the biggest issue facing the city, and Democrats Zoran Mandani We won about two-thirds of this group.
Less than half of California voters said the economy was the biggest issue facing the state, and about two-thirds of them supported Proposition 50.
Trump did not actively campaign for his party ahead of Election Day in 2025. Even though the vote counting process was in progress, he had already escaped criticism and posted, “I did not participate in the voting.”
The morning after the election, Trump appeared more reflective as he entertained Senate Republicans at the White House. “We weren’t expected to win last night,” he said.
The elections were held primarily in areas that have recently favored Democrats, so there are limits to interpreting what the results mean for next year’s broader midterm elections. However, the size of the Democratic difference indicated the degree of dissatisfaction with the economic situation under the Trump administration.
“I don’t think it was a good thing for the Republican Party,” Trump said. “I don’t know if it was good for anyone, but we had an interesting night and learned a lot.”
After flying home from an extravagant trip to Asia and throwing a lavish Jazz Age-themed “Great Gatsby” party at Florida club Mar-a-Lago last weekend, Trump is expected to return to Florida on Wednesday to explain what he considers his financial success. Audience of business leaders and athletes.
The Trump administration has argued that the working class, along with billionaires, will immediately benefit.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said this week on Fox News Channel’s “Jesse Watters Prime Time” that “we’re going to see a surge in population on Main Street here in addition to what we’ve already seen on Wall Street.”
In the run-up to Tuesday’s election, President Trump had focused his message on mass deportations of the country’s illegal immigrants and efforts to reduce crime by deploying the National Guard to Democratic-led cities.
But an Associated Press poll of voters found that few people voted for crime or immigration as their top priorities.
“We need to focus on affordability,” he said. Vivek RamaswamyHe is a former Republican presidential candidate and Trump ally and is currently running for governor of Ohio in 2026. “Let’s make the American Dream affordable. We’ll lower costs, lower electricity bills, lower grocery costs, lower health costs, lower housing costs. And we’ll show you how to make it happen.”
