Trump Agenda Trails Cost Of Living And Iran War In Voters’ Priorities, Poll Shows

As the United States heads towards its November 3 midterm elections, voters want the next Congress to focus on the cost of living and ending the war with Iran rather than prioritising investigations into President Donald Trump or supporting his administration’s agenda, a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found.

The survey found that 80% of registered voters consider lowering the cost of living one of Congress’s highest priorities, while 68% said the same about ending the war with Iran. By comparison, 36% placed investigating the Trump administration among the highest priorities, while only 18% gave the same ranking to supporting the president’s agenda.

The findings suggest that economic concerns and the conflict with Iran are cutting across party lines, even as Trump remains a central figure in the midterm campaign. The elections will determine control of Congress for the remainder of his term.

Costs Take Priority

The economy and household expenses remain prominent concerns for Americans amid persistent inflation and rising energy prices.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that consumer prices rose 3.7% in the 12 months ending September, up from 3.4% in the year ending August. Gasoline prices increased 9.1% in September, accounting for more than half of the monthly rise in the consumer price index.

The US Energy Information Administration reported that the national average price of regular petrol stood at $4.284 per gallon on Monday, down from $4.331 a week earlier but $1.265 higher than a year ago.

The poll found that around eight in 10 registered voters, including large majorities of Republicans and Democrats, want Congress to make affordability a top priority. Reducing the federal budget deficit was also a concern, with 47% placing it among Congress’s highest priorities.

Party Divisions

Although voters broadly agree on the importance of costs, they differ over how Congress should approach the Trump administration.

Among registered Democrats, around six in 10 said investigating the administration should be one of Congress’s highest priorities. However, the poll found that investigations ranked behind lowering costs and ending the Iran war among Democrats’ concerns.

Republican voters also placed affordability, ending the conflict and reducing the deficit ahead of supporting Trump’s agenda. Around four in 10 Republicans said advancing the administration’s agenda should be one of Congress’s highest priorities.

The survey also identified divisions within both parties. Democratic voters who identify with democratic socialism were more likely to favour investigations into the administration, while supporters of the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement were more interested in Congress advancing Trump’s agenda. Moderates in both parties were more likely to want lawmakers to find common ground.

Demand For Change

The findings come amid wider dissatisfaction with the political system. In a separate analysis of the October survey, AP-NORC reported that eight in 10 voters wanted substantial change or a complete overhaul of how the country is run. Only about one in 10 said they felt optimistic about the state of US politics.

The poll was conducted from October 8 to 12 among 1,119 US adults. The overall margin of sampling error was 3.9% points, with larger margins for subgroups.

The results indicate that the next Congress will face pressure to address household affordability and the Iran conflict, even as partisan disputes over Trump and his administration remain a potential source of division.