Cost of Living Crisis Threatens US Midterms, AP-NORC Poll Shows
Three weeks before the United States midterms, 65% of the American population blame Donald Trump’s policies for a surging cost of living that threatens Republican candidates, AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research polling shows, rfi.fr reported. In New York, where economic inequality runs deep, that price surge presses hard on daily household survival.
Green Groceries Distributed in Manhattan Parks
Association volunteers handed out fresh fruits and vegetables in a Manhattan park to New York residents of all ages standing in long lines for relief. Margaret, 70, stood in that line. “Everything is so much heavier on the wallet today, I don’t have the means, it’s way too much! Thank God I don’t need much, otherwise I’d starve to death!” she said, according to rfi.fr.
Nina, 34, described visiting a local supermarket and finding a small container of cherry tomatoes priced at 8 dollars. “I had never seen prices so high in my life,” she told rfi.fr. “I had a moment of shock saying to myself, ‘My God, if I had to buy this carton to feed my family, it would be impossible.'”
Tariffs and Budget Cuts Raise New York Household Spending
Prices have climbed across the country since Donald Trump returned to power, driven by presidential tariffs, the war against Iran, and budget cuts targeting assistance programs, rfi.fr reported. Guillermo Di Caterina of the Salvation Army explained that vulnerable communities feel the squeeze most acutely. “There’s inflation, rents here are very high, there’s food insecurity,” he said, noting that more people are asking for help to get through the month.
New York households have seen their annual spending climb by an average of 2,000 dollars under Donald Trump, according to studies cited by rfi.fr. Adiel, a finance worker who describes himself as well-off, feels the financial pinch firsthand. “I’m forced to be reasonable: I eat out less and I prioritize important expenses rather than leisure and little pleasures,” he admitted to rfi.fr.
Voter Backlash in Democratic Strongholds
In New York, a reliably Democratic city, financial pressure is reshaping voter priorities ahead of the midterms, rfi.fr reported. Adiel intends to scrutinize candidate records closely. “I’m going to be very careful and check among the Democratic candidates who chose not to help Americans, who, for example, supported the suppression of aid programs, Medicare, etc.,” he said. “I won’t vote for them.”
Another local resident told rfi.fr that the economic strain damages Donald Trump and his supporters politically. The left wing of the Democratic Party is currently projected to win comfortably in New York as voters react to the financial climate.