Politics, Parties, Candidates
Here's a look at documents from politicians, candidates and interested parties
Politics, Parties, Candidates
Featured Stories
What They're Saying: Rising Costs Continue to Put Republicans on Defense Ahead of Midterms
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee posted the following news release:
* * *
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: Rising Costs Continue to Put Republicans on Defense Ahead of Midterms
Wall Street Journal: "Cost-of-living worries are ... giving Democrats an advantage"
Associated Press: "President Donald Trump's trade war with Canada is escalating as the midterm elections approach, threatening Republican efforts to address voters' economic concerns in a year when control of the U.S. Senate hinges on states along the border between the United States and its northern neighbor"
Axios: ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee posted the following news release: * * * WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: Rising Costs Continue to Put Republicans on Defense Ahead of Midterms Wall Street Journal: "Cost-of-living worries are ... giving Democrats an advantage" Associated Press: "President Donald Trump's trade war with Canada is escalating as the midterm elections approach, threatening Republican efforts to address voters' economic concerns in a year when control of the U.S. Senate hinges on states along the border between the United States and its northern neighbor" Axios:"Economic frustration is giving Democrats an opening on the issue that often decides elections"
Reuters: "Voters prefer Democrats over Republicans on economy for first time in a decade"
HuffPost: "President Donald Trump's rapidly escalating trade war with Canada could be a political disaster for Republican Senate candidates..."
-
With just under 70 days until the midterm elections, Republicans are facing backlash over their toxic, price-spiking agenda. Across the country, Americans are paying more for everyday essentials and growing increasingly pessimistic about the economy under Trump and Republicans - with multiple recent polls showing the GOP has essentially erased any "edge with voters on the economy," with Democrats now preferred to lead on the economy.
And as affordability remains a top concern for voters - the continued Republican-backed war in Iran and the latest round of reckless, chaotic tariffs supported by Republican Senate candidates are "threatening Republican efforts to address voters' economic concerns," with GOP Senators themselves admitting that they "don't have a positive message."
Now, conservative pollsters and groups are sounding the alarm about a "scary" lack of enthusiasm among even reliable GOP voters heading into November as economic hardship sees no end in sight under Republican leadership.
Here is what they're saying about how Republicans' failure to address the affordability crisis they created has become a massive political vulnerability:
CNN (August 24, 2026): Trump Threatens New Tariffs on Canada as Trade War Escalates (https://youtu.be/B4YiCVHTa9c)
CNN's DANA BASH: The dramatic collapse of U.S. Canadian tariff talks is spurring a full-out trade war. And President Trump's control of the Senate may be a casualty [...]
Here's the thing. The six toss-up states that will determine control of the U.S. Senate do rely on trade with America's northern neighbor. Michigan, for example. Look at that. It shares a border and totaled $65 billion in trade with Canada just last year. A lot of that from the auto industry.
Then look at Ohio, which boasted a $34 billion trade relationship with Canada last year, making Canada by far its top export partner.
And of course there is Maine, where the total exports to Canada are higher than the next 16 foreign markets combined.
MS NOW (August 10, 2026): Republican Party Losing Edge on the Economy
MS NOW's MIKA BRZEZINSKI: The Wall Street Journal has a new piece on how the Republican Party is losing its edge with voters on the economy. The piece, as Joe mentioned, describes how cost-of-living worries are eroding the GOP's image as economic managers, giving the Democrats an advantage [...]
Mitchell Brown, a Republican pollster, has noticed something new in the focus groups he runs with voters in battleground states. They know exactly to the dollar the amount of their power bill, he said. The same, he says, happens with health costs or the price of beef. Inflation? The sorest point: consumer prices were 3.5% higher in June than a year earlier, according to the Labor Department, versus a January 2025 inflation rate of 3% that ate away at wage gains. Average hourly earnings were up 3.5% on the year in June. For the first time since 2010, Fox News polls find voters citing Democrats as better on the economy than Republicans. Democrats led by four points on the question in April and by nine points in July...
MS NOW's SYMONE SANDERS-TOWNSEND: ... it is very expensive out there right now, whether you're at the grocery store, the gas station, or you are just literally sitting at your kitchen table trying to figure out how to make it work... we can see the effects of the war in Iran at the gas pump. We can feel the effects of the tariffs, whether you're a small business owner or just a consumer. And voters...they are very well aware of what decisions elected officials have made and how those decisions are affecting them right now...
MS NOW's KATTY KAY: Yeah, Jen, I thought that Wall Street Journal article was so interesting in the way that people can say to the penny how much things are costing them, and the polls- the Reuters poll, the Fox polls - all showing now that people trust the Democrats more than they do the Republicans on the economy...
The Wall Street Journal: The Republican Party Is Losing Its Edge With Voters on the Economy
* Persistent cost-of-living worries are eroding the GOP's image as the party better suited to handle the economy ahead of the midterm elections.
* [...] views of the economy pose a clear danger for [the GOP] in this year's midterms, a concern echoed by other Republican strategists.
* For the GOP, the fear is that voters who backed the party in 2024 believing Trump would ease the cost of living will stay home or defect this November.
* One result of the sour mood: a significant reversal in views of the GOP's ability to manage the economy. In many polls, more voters see the Democratic Party as a better economic steward than the Republican Party--a rare finding in recent years.
* If Democrats could sustain leads on the economy and win double digit margins among independents as some polls show, a Blue Wave is possible, [a GOP strategist] wrote.
Reuters: Voters prefer Democrats over Republicans on economy for first time in a decade, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds
* Americans picked Democrats over Republicans as better stewards of the economy for the first time in nearly a decade in a Reuters/Ipsos poll, which also found their approval of President Donald Trump's performance falling to 35%.
* The finding, in a poll conducted Wednesday through Monday, showed how Trump's handling of the economy, including rising energy prices resulting from the Iran war, could weigh on his party's chances in the November midterm elections that will determine control of Congress for the next two years.
* The Republican edge on the economy has steadily deteriorated during Trump's current term, narrowing to zero in recent months as U.S. household finances suffered from soaring gasoline prices following the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran in February and the war that has been simmering ever since.
Fox News: Fox News Poll: Voters want major change amid economic and political discontent
* Several findings in the latest Fox News Poll show voters are unhappy and want major change, which bodes well for Democrats in November: President Donald Trump's job approval remains near a record low, more Democrats are motivated to vote, Republicans join Democrats and independents in rating the economy negatively, and 4 in 10 voters want ... change.
* Voters say Democrats can better handle income inequality (+22 points), healthcare (+21), inflation (+10), the economy (+9), and foreign policy (+7).
* More Democrats (68%) say they are extremely motivated to vote in November than Republicans (57%) by an 11-point margin.
Axios: Trump tries to sell an economy voters aren't buying
* President Trump's economic sales pitch is colliding with voters' sour moods on high prices and the economy as the 2026 midterms loom.
* Why it matters: Economic frustration is giving Democrats an opening on the issue that often decides elections -- and could help them erase Republicans' narrow congressional majorities in November.
* Trump has previously dismissed economic concerns, assuring voters that prices will come down and that affordability is an issue made up by political rivals to hurt his administration and the GOP.
The Washington Post: Republicans see 'scary' lack of enthusiasm among core voters ahead of midterms
* Republican pollsters and political groups are raising the alarm that their party faces a listless and demotivated base ahead of November's midterm elections.
* A raft of discouraging data from polling, door knocking and focus groups is unsettling Republicans as their party heads into a midterm election season that would be challenging no matter what, given President Donald Trump's low standing in polls and the fact that the party in control in Washington almost always loses seats.
* The lack of enthusiasm is reaching deep into Republicans' loyal base, spreading to the party's most consistent voters
* About 1 in 5 reliable Republican base voters are at risk this November, according to Nathan Nascimento, executive director at AFP Action. Those voters in Iowa, Ohio, North Carolina, Montana, New Hampshire and Michigan are either saying they may stay home or are weighing voting for Democrats, according to their data, which is based on polling and extensive efforts to engage targeted Republican voters by knocking on their doors. The voters are primarily worried about inflation and the economy. "This is a big chunk," Nascimento said. "This is a scary number."
HuffPost: Trump's Trade War With Canada Could Spell Disaster For Senate Republican Candidates
* President Donald Trump's rapidly escalating trade war with Canada could be a political disaster for Republican Senate candidates in a quartet of states bordering the country, a region particularly vulnerable to trade disruptions with the neighboring nation and one where undecided voters are more likely to blame the GOP for the economic pain.
* The president's aggressive stance is only making life harder for four Senate Republican candidates who are in competitive races in states that border Canada, a top trading partner to each of their states: Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio and former Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan.
* All four of these races are rated a "toss up" by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, and their outcomes will likely decide which party controls the Senate after November. And in all four of these states, trade policy experts said, Canadian products and markets make a huge difference between economic prosperity and poverty.
* Consider Trump's Monday threat of another 50% tariff on Canadian automobiles, car parts and steel. This would be devastating for Michigan, which brings in as much as $40 billion annually in cross-border auto trade, and for Ohio, which brings in $14 billion annually.
* In Alaska and Maine, natural resources and fisheries are crucial to the bottom lines of businesses and farms, to the tune of $300 million annually in agricultural exports to Canada from Maine and $100 million annually in fish exports to Canada from Alaska.
* The Senate Democratic nominees in these states have plenty to say. Most are directly tying their Republican opponents to the president's trade policy.
* "All across Ohio, I hear from small business owners, farmers, and hardworking families who are getting crushed by reckless tariffs that Jon Husted supports," Ohio Senate Democratic nominee Sherrod Brown told HuffPost. "I've called for hard-working Ohioans to be refunded for the burden they've taken on due to the tariffs, while Husted has called for more money to go to corporations. It's clear Husted will put his billionaire and special interest friends before hardworking families every time. Ohioans deserve better."
* Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate nominee in Michigan, pointed out over the weekend that consumers typically bear the cost of tariffs, suggesting during a Sunday appearance on MS NOW that the $3,200 studies indicate Trump's tariffs have already cost the average Michigander is "about to go way up."
* A spokesperson for Maine Senate Democratic nominee Troy Jackson said Collins has long supported the president's policies and voted against efforts to rein in his tariffs in April 2025. Alaska Senate Democratic nominee Mary Peltola's campaign highlighted six times that Sullivan voted in 2025 in support of the Trump administration's tariffs.
Associated Press: Trump's trade war with Canada could rattle economies in states with key Senate races
* President Donald Trump's trade war with Canada is escalating as the midterm elections approach, threatening Republican efforts to address voters' economic concerns in a year when control of the U.S. Senate hinges on states along the border between the United States and its northern neighbor.
* The dispute flared over the weekend after negotiations broke down, leading Trump to raise tariffs on $20 billion in Canadian imports. Canada plans to announce tariffs of its own on Tuesday, and the spiraling conflict could lead to higher prices and scrambled supply chains for Americans already aggravated at the president's management of the economy.
* The issue also puts pressure on Republicans in Michigan, Ohio and Alaska, states where Canada is an important trading partner. Many Democrats seem eager to capitalize on the matter as they try to regain the Senate majority [...]
* "Trump is escalating a trade war with Canada for his own vanity," Michigan's Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed said on social media, adding that his Republican opponent, former Rep. Mike Rogers, is a "rubber stamp" for such policies. A third of the state's exports go north of the border.
* Marc Short, a top adviser to then-Vice President Mike Pence during the first Trump presidency [...]I think if you're representing agricultural states, especially, your voters are probably anxious to have somebody representing their interests in Washington right now."
* [Troy] Jackson, a logger before going into politics, said tariffs are another example of how Collins does not do enough to stand up to the president.
* "Troy spent most of his life working along the Canadian border, so he knows how important this relationship is to Maine's economy," Jackson spokesman Dan Gottlieb said.
* Republicans are trying to defend Senate control
* Trump made no secret of his affection for tariffs during his comeback campaign, promising that higher taxes on imports would generate a windfall for the U.S. Treasury and boost domestic manufacturing. But concerns about inflation and affordability have not receded, including in states with key races this year.
* Maine, Ohio, Michigan and Alaska boast industries including fisheries, auto parts, lumber and produce that export items across the northern border, while Canadian imports are sold by a range of U.S. retailers.
* Iowa, which also has a competitive Senate race, does not border Canada or its waters, but also exports more goods to Canada than any other nation.
* Majority Forward, a political action committee tied to Senate Democrats, already ran television advertisements against Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska during last year's partial government shutdown.
* "The tariffs are hitting Alaska the hardest," the ad said. "Call Dan Sullivan and tell him [...] stop raising our costs."
* Former Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown is trying to return to Washington by unseating Republican Sen. Jon Husted. Brown has long been a union-friendly protectionist Democrat. But he's argued against Trump's approach, saying it's one thing to get aggressive with an adversarial economic powerhouse like China but another to impose uneven, unpredictable tariffs on neighboring nations.
* Husted [...] embraced the White House's economic policies, recently appearing with Vance at an Ohio steel plant to praise the administration's economic agenda. "Today is a new day, it truly is," Husted said. "It's a new day because of the 'America First' agenda."
* Brown has not yet criticized Husted on Canadian tariffs, concentrating instead on the senator's support for data centers and Trump's war with Iran. But Senate Majority PAC spokeswoman Lauren French said the Canada tariffs fight fits seamlessly into the broader case that Brown and other Democrats are making about Trump and his allies.
* "It's another proof point for the argument that this is a guy who continues to raise your costs for no reason at all," she said.
* * *
See also: DSCC: NEW DATA: GOP-Backed Iran War Costs Voters $56 Billion at the Pump as Republican Senate Candidates Tell Them to "Be Patriots" & "Learn How to Budget"; DSCC: One Year Later - Republicans' Toxic Plan that Gutted Medicaid and Raised Costs Drags Down GOP Senate Candidates; DSCC: MIDTERMS COUNTDOWN: 99 Days and 99 Ways Republican Senate Candidates Are Deeply Flawed, Corrupt, and Out-of-Touch; DSCC: REMINDER: Senate Republicans Own Trump's Chaotic, Price-Spiking Tariffs and Reckless Trade War With Canada; DSCC: GOP Laments "We Don't Have a Positive Message" as Price-Hiking Tariffs Spell "Political Disaster" for Republicans & "Reverberate" Across Senate Battlegrounds; DSCC: WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: "A Nightmare" - Republicans' "Control of the Senate May Be a Casualty" of Latest Reckless, Price-Hiking GOP Tariffs;
* * *
Original text and links presented by source here: https://www.dscc.org/article/what-theyre-saying-rising-costs-continue-to-put-republicans-on-defense-ahead-of-midterms/
* * *
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: Rising Costs Continue to Put Republicans on Defense Ahead of Midterms
Wall Street Journal: "Cost-of-living worries are ... giving Democrats an advantage"
Associated Press: "President Donald Trump's trade war with Canada is escalating as the midterm elections approach, threatening Republican efforts to address voters' economic concerns in a year when control of the U.S. Senate hinges on states along the border between the United States and its northern neighbor"
Axios: ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee posted the following news release: * * * WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: Rising Costs Continue to Put Republicans on Defense Ahead of Midterms Wall Street Journal: "Cost-of-living worries are ... giving Democrats an advantage" Associated Press: "President Donald Trump's trade war with Canada is escalating as the midterm elections approach, threatening Republican efforts to address voters' economic concerns in a year when control of the U.S. Senate hinges on states along the border between the United States and its northern neighbor" Axios:"Economic frustration is giving Democrats an opening on the issue that often decides elections"
Reuters: "Voters prefer Democrats over Republicans on economy for first time in a decade"
HuffPost: "President Donald Trump's rapidly escalating trade war with Canada could be a political disaster for Republican Senate candidates..."
-
With just under 70 days until the midterm elections, Republicans are facing backlash over their toxic, price-spiking agenda. Across the country, Americans are paying more for everyday essentials and growing increasingly pessimistic about the economy under Trump and Republicans - with multiple recent polls showing the GOP has essentially erased any "edge with voters on the economy," with Democrats now preferred to lead on the economy.
And as affordability remains a top concern for voters - the continued Republican-backed war in Iran and the latest round of reckless, chaotic tariffs supported by Republican Senate candidates are "threatening Republican efforts to address voters' economic concerns," with GOP Senators themselves admitting that they "don't have a positive message."
Now, conservative pollsters and groups are sounding the alarm about a "scary" lack of enthusiasm among even reliable GOP voters heading into November as economic hardship sees no end in sight under Republican leadership.
Here is what they're saying about how Republicans' failure to address the affordability crisis they created has become a massive political vulnerability:
CNN (August 24, 2026): Trump Threatens New Tariffs on Canada as Trade War Escalates (https://youtu.be/B4YiCVHTa9c)
CNN's DANA BASH: The dramatic collapse of U.S. Canadian tariff talks is spurring a full-out trade war. And President Trump's control of the Senate may be a casualty [...]
Here's the thing. The six toss-up states that will determine control of the U.S. Senate do rely on trade with America's northern neighbor. Michigan, for example. Look at that. It shares a border and totaled $65 billion in trade with Canada just last year. A lot of that from the auto industry.
Then look at Ohio, which boasted a $34 billion trade relationship with Canada last year, making Canada by far its top export partner.
And of course there is Maine, where the total exports to Canada are higher than the next 16 foreign markets combined.
MS NOW (August 10, 2026): Republican Party Losing Edge on the Economy
MS NOW's MIKA BRZEZINSKI: The Wall Street Journal has a new piece on how the Republican Party is losing its edge with voters on the economy. The piece, as Joe mentioned, describes how cost-of-living worries are eroding the GOP's image as economic managers, giving the Democrats an advantage [...]
Mitchell Brown, a Republican pollster, has noticed something new in the focus groups he runs with voters in battleground states. They know exactly to the dollar the amount of their power bill, he said. The same, he says, happens with health costs or the price of beef. Inflation? The sorest point: consumer prices were 3.5% higher in June than a year earlier, according to the Labor Department, versus a January 2025 inflation rate of 3% that ate away at wage gains. Average hourly earnings were up 3.5% on the year in June. For the first time since 2010, Fox News polls find voters citing Democrats as better on the economy than Republicans. Democrats led by four points on the question in April and by nine points in July...
MS NOW's SYMONE SANDERS-TOWNSEND: ... it is very expensive out there right now, whether you're at the grocery store, the gas station, or you are just literally sitting at your kitchen table trying to figure out how to make it work... we can see the effects of the war in Iran at the gas pump. We can feel the effects of the tariffs, whether you're a small business owner or just a consumer. And voters...they are very well aware of what decisions elected officials have made and how those decisions are affecting them right now...
MS NOW's KATTY KAY: Yeah, Jen, I thought that Wall Street Journal article was so interesting in the way that people can say to the penny how much things are costing them, and the polls- the Reuters poll, the Fox polls - all showing now that people trust the Democrats more than they do the Republicans on the economy...
The Wall Street Journal: The Republican Party Is Losing Its Edge With Voters on the Economy
* Persistent cost-of-living worries are eroding the GOP's image as the party better suited to handle the economy ahead of the midterm elections.
* [...] views of the economy pose a clear danger for [the GOP] in this year's midterms, a concern echoed by other Republican strategists.
* For the GOP, the fear is that voters who backed the party in 2024 believing Trump would ease the cost of living will stay home or defect this November.
* One result of the sour mood: a significant reversal in views of the GOP's ability to manage the economy. In many polls, more voters see the Democratic Party as a better economic steward than the Republican Party--a rare finding in recent years.
* If Democrats could sustain leads on the economy and win double digit margins among independents as some polls show, a Blue Wave is possible, [a GOP strategist] wrote.
Reuters: Voters prefer Democrats over Republicans on economy for first time in a decade, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds
* Americans picked Democrats over Republicans as better stewards of the economy for the first time in nearly a decade in a Reuters/Ipsos poll, which also found their approval of President Donald Trump's performance falling to 35%.
* The finding, in a poll conducted Wednesday through Monday, showed how Trump's handling of the economy, including rising energy prices resulting from the Iran war, could weigh on his party's chances in the November midterm elections that will determine control of Congress for the next two years.
* The Republican edge on the economy has steadily deteriorated during Trump's current term, narrowing to zero in recent months as U.S. household finances suffered from soaring gasoline prices following the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran in February and the war that has been simmering ever since.
Fox News: Fox News Poll: Voters want major change amid economic and political discontent
* Several findings in the latest Fox News Poll show voters are unhappy and want major change, which bodes well for Democrats in November: President Donald Trump's job approval remains near a record low, more Democrats are motivated to vote, Republicans join Democrats and independents in rating the economy negatively, and 4 in 10 voters want ... change.
* Voters say Democrats can better handle income inequality (+22 points), healthcare (+21), inflation (+10), the economy (+9), and foreign policy (+7).
* More Democrats (68%) say they are extremely motivated to vote in November than Republicans (57%) by an 11-point margin.
Axios: Trump tries to sell an economy voters aren't buying
* President Trump's economic sales pitch is colliding with voters' sour moods on high prices and the economy as the 2026 midterms loom.
* Why it matters: Economic frustration is giving Democrats an opening on the issue that often decides elections -- and could help them erase Republicans' narrow congressional majorities in November.
* Trump has previously dismissed economic concerns, assuring voters that prices will come down and that affordability is an issue made up by political rivals to hurt his administration and the GOP.
The Washington Post: Republicans see 'scary' lack of enthusiasm among core voters ahead of midterms
* Republican pollsters and political groups are raising the alarm that their party faces a listless and demotivated base ahead of November's midterm elections.
* A raft of discouraging data from polling, door knocking and focus groups is unsettling Republicans as their party heads into a midterm election season that would be challenging no matter what, given President Donald Trump's low standing in polls and the fact that the party in control in Washington almost always loses seats.
* The lack of enthusiasm is reaching deep into Republicans' loyal base, spreading to the party's most consistent voters
* About 1 in 5 reliable Republican base voters are at risk this November, according to Nathan Nascimento, executive director at AFP Action. Those voters in Iowa, Ohio, North Carolina, Montana, New Hampshire and Michigan are either saying they may stay home or are weighing voting for Democrats, according to their data, which is based on polling and extensive efforts to engage targeted Republican voters by knocking on their doors. The voters are primarily worried about inflation and the economy. "This is a big chunk," Nascimento said. "This is a scary number."
HuffPost: Trump's Trade War With Canada Could Spell Disaster For Senate Republican Candidates
* President Donald Trump's rapidly escalating trade war with Canada could be a political disaster for Republican Senate candidates in a quartet of states bordering the country, a region particularly vulnerable to trade disruptions with the neighboring nation and one where undecided voters are more likely to blame the GOP for the economic pain.
* The president's aggressive stance is only making life harder for four Senate Republican candidates who are in competitive races in states that border Canada, a top trading partner to each of their states: Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Sen. Jon Husted of Ohio and former Rep. Mike Rogers of Michigan.
* All four of these races are rated a "toss up" by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, and their outcomes will likely decide which party controls the Senate after November. And in all four of these states, trade policy experts said, Canadian products and markets make a huge difference between economic prosperity and poverty.
* Consider Trump's Monday threat of another 50% tariff on Canadian automobiles, car parts and steel. This would be devastating for Michigan, which brings in as much as $40 billion annually in cross-border auto trade, and for Ohio, which brings in $14 billion annually.
* In Alaska and Maine, natural resources and fisheries are crucial to the bottom lines of businesses and farms, to the tune of $300 million annually in agricultural exports to Canada from Maine and $100 million annually in fish exports to Canada from Alaska.
* The Senate Democratic nominees in these states have plenty to say. Most are directly tying their Republican opponents to the president's trade policy.
* "All across Ohio, I hear from small business owners, farmers, and hardworking families who are getting crushed by reckless tariffs that Jon Husted supports," Ohio Senate Democratic nominee Sherrod Brown told HuffPost. "I've called for hard-working Ohioans to be refunded for the burden they've taken on due to the tariffs, while Husted has called for more money to go to corporations. It's clear Husted will put his billionaire and special interest friends before hardworking families every time. Ohioans deserve better."
* Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic Senate nominee in Michigan, pointed out over the weekend that consumers typically bear the cost of tariffs, suggesting during a Sunday appearance on MS NOW that the $3,200 studies indicate Trump's tariffs have already cost the average Michigander is "about to go way up."
* A spokesperson for Maine Senate Democratic nominee Troy Jackson said Collins has long supported the president's policies and voted against efforts to rein in his tariffs in April 2025. Alaska Senate Democratic nominee Mary Peltola's campaign highlighted six times that Sullivan voted in 2025 in support of the Trump administration's tariffs.
Associated Press: Trump's trade war with Canada could rattle economies in states with key Senate races
* President Donald Trump's trade war with Canada is escalating as the midterm elections approach, threatening Republican efforts to address voters' economic concerns in a year when control of the U.S. Senate hinges on states along the border between the United States and its northern neighbor.
* The dispute flared over the weekend after negotiations broke down, leading Trump to raise tariffs on $20 billion in Canadian imports. Canada plans to announce tariffs of its own on Tuesday, and the spiraling conflict could lead to higher prices and scrambled supply chains for Americans already aggravated at the president's management of the economy.
* The issue also puts pressure on Republicans in Michigan, Ohio and Alaska, states where Canada is an important trading partner. Many Democrats seem eager to capitalize on the matter as they try to regain the Senate majority [...]
* "Trump is escalating a trade war with Canada for his own vanity," Michigan's Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed said on social media, adding that his Republican opponent, former Rep. Mike Rogers, is a "rubber stamp" for such policies. A third of the state's exports go north of the border.
* Marc Short, a top adviser to then-Vice President Mike Pence during the first Trump presidency [...]I think if you're representing agricultural states, especially, your voters are probably anxious to have somebody representing their interests in Washington right now."
* [Troy] Jackson, a logger before going into politics, said tariffs are another example of how Collins does not do enough to stand up to the president.
* "Troy spent most of his life working along the Canadian border, so he knows how important this relationship is to Maine's economy," Jackson spokesman Dan Gottlieb said.
* Republicans are trying to defend Senate control
* Trump made no secret of his affection for tariffs during his comeback campaign, promising that higher taxes on imports would generate a windfall for the U.S. Treasury and boost domestic manufacturing. But concerns about inflation and affordability have not receded, including in states with key races this year.
* Maine, Ohio, Michigan and Alaska boast industries including fisheries, auto parts, lumber and produce that export items across the northern border, while Canadian imports are sold by a range of U.S. retailers.
* Iowa, which also has a competitive Senate race, does not border Canada or its waters, but also exports more goods to Canada than any other nation.
* Majority Forward, a political action committee tied to Senate Democrats, already ran television advertisements against Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska during last year's partial government shutdown.
* "The tariffs are hitting Alaska the hardest," the ad said. "Call Dan Sullivan and tell him [...] stop raising our costs."
* Former Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown is trying to return to Washington by unseating Republican Sen. Jon Husted. Brown has long been a union-friendly protectionist Democrat. But he's argued against Trump's approach, saying it's one thing to get aggressive with an adversarial economic powerhouse like China but another to impose uneven, unpredictable tariffs on neighboring nations.
* Husted [...] embraced the White House's economic policies, recently appearing with Vance at an Ohio steel plant to praise the administration's economic agenda. "Today is a new day, it truly is," Husted said. "It's a new day because of the 'America First' agenda."
* Brown has not yet criticized Husted on Canadian tariffs, concentrating instead on the senator's support for data centers and Trump's war with Iran. But Senate Majority PAC spokeswoman Lauren French said the Canada tariffs fight fits seamlessly into the broader case that Brown and other Democrats are making about Trump and his allies.
* "It's another proof point for the argument that this is a guy who continues to raise your costs for no reason at all," she said.
* * *
See also: DSCC: NEW DATA: GOP-Backed Iran War Costs Voters $56 Billion at the Pump as Republican Senate Candidates Tell Them to "Be Patriots" & "Learn How to Budget"; DSCC: One Year Later - Republicans' Toxic Plan that Gutted Medicaid and Raised Costs Drags Down GOP Senate Candidates; DSCC: MIDTERMS COUNTDOWN: 99 Days and 99 Ways Republican Senate Candidates Are Deeply Flawed, Corrupt, and Out-of-Touch; DSCC: REMINDER: Senate Republicans Own Trump's Chaotic, Price-Spiking Tariffs and Reckless Trade War With Canada; DSCC: GOP Laments "We Don't Have a Positive Message" as Price-Hiking Tariffs Spell "Political Disaster" for Republicans & "Reverberate" Across Senate Battlegrounds; DSCC: WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: "A Nightmare" - Republicans' "Control of the Senate May Be a Casualty" of Latest Reckless, Price-Hiking GOP Tariffs;
* * *
Original text and links presented by source here: https://www.dscc.org/article/what-theyre-saying-rising-costs-continue-to-put-republicans-on-defense-ahead-of-midterms/
Statement From DNC Chair Ken Martin on Six Months of Trump's War With Iran
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic National Committee posted the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
* * *
Statement From DNC Chair Ken Martin on Six Months of Trump's War With Iran
Trump and Vance have already spent up to $100 billion of taxpayer money on their war - which has cost consumers about $1,100 per household in higher prices
-
Today marks six months since Donald Trump and JD Vance launched their deadly and costly war of choice with Iran. In half a year, Trump's war has claimed the lives of at least 18 U.S. service members and injured over 750 while tanking the economy at ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic National Committee posted the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026: * * * Statement From DNC Chair Ken Martin on Six Months of Trump's War With Iran Trump and Vance have already spent up to $100 billion of taxpayer money on their war - which has cost consumers about $1,100 per household in higher prices - Today marks six months since Donald Trump and JD Vance launched their deadly and costly war of choice with Iran. In half a year, Trump's war has claimed the lives of at least 18 U.S. service members and injured over 750 while tanking the economy athome as prices on everything from gas to groceries skyrocket.
Trump and his chief dealmaker Vance have failed to reach an agreement to end their war. Back in March, Trump and Vance said the war would be over "soon" - but just this week, Trump said he is "not in a hurry" to end the war.
In response, DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:
"Donald Trump and JD Vance dragged the U.S. into a deadly and costly war they clearly cannot find a way out of - at the expense of the American people who are struggling to make ends meet. Trump and Vance explicitly promised no new foreign wars, yet six months in, there is no end in sight to the conflict that has driven up prices on everything from gas to groceries. While Republicans claim they cannot bring down costs or fund affordable healthcare for everyday Americans, they continue to spend billions of dollars on a war no one wanted or asked for - and voters will remember this betrayal when they head to the polls in November."
Trump and Vance's war with Iran has already cost American taxpayers $100 billion - four times the original $25 billion estimate - and consumers nearly $150 billion, about $1,100 per household from when the war started. Americans have spent $72 billion more on gas alone since the beginning of the war- $604 per household-- with today's national average sitting at $4.08 per gallon. Prices in July surged by 3.7%, higher than expectations, and close to a three-year high.
Meanwhile, as Americans struggle to afford high prices, Vance is sending out fundraising texts, acknowledging, "Groceries cost what they cost" under the Trump-Vance administration.
It's no wonder Trump's approval rating has sunk to the lowest point of his entire presidency, with a meager 33% of Americans approving of his job performance.
* * *
Original text here: https://democrats.org/statement-from-dnc-chair-ken-martin-on-six-months-of-trumps-war-with-iran/
* * *
Statement From DNC Chair Ken Martin on Six Months of Trump's War With Iran
Trump and Vance have already spent up to $100 billion of taxpayer money on their war - which has cost consumers about $1,100 per household in higher prices
-
Today marks six months since Donald Trump and JD Vance launched their deadly and costly war of choice with Iran. In half a year, Trump's war has claimed the lives of at least 18 U.S. service members and injured over 750 while tanking the economy at ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic National Committee posted the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026: * * * Statement From DNC Chair Ken Martin on Six Months of Trump's War With Iran Trump and Vance have already spent up to $100 billion of taxpayer money on their war - which has cost consumers about $1,100 per household in higher prices - Today marks six months since Donald Trump and JD Vance launched their deadly and costly war of choice with Iran. In half a year, Trump's war has claimed the lives of at least 18 U.S. service members and injured over 750 while tanking the economy athome as prices on everything from gas to groceries skyrocket.
Trump and his chief dealmaker Vance have failed to reach an agreement to end their war. Back in March, Trump and Vance said the war would be over "soon" - but just this week, Trump said he is "not in a hurry" to end the war.
In response, DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement:
"Donald Trump and JD Vance dragged the U.S. into a deadly and costly war they clearly cannot find a way out of - at the expense of the American people who are struggling to make ends meet. Trump and Vance explicitly promised no new foreign wars, yet six months in, there is no end in sight to the conflict that has driven up prices on everything from gas to groceries. While Republicans claim they cannot bring down costs or fund affordable healthcare for everyday Americans, they continue to spend billions of dollars on a war no one wanted or asked for - and voters will remember this betrayal when they head to the polls in November."
Trump and Vance's war with Iran has already cost American taxpayers $100 billion - four times the original $25 billion estimate - and consumers nearly $150 billion, about $1,100 per household from when the war started. Americans have spent $72 billion more on gas alone since the beginning of the war- $604 per household-- with today's national average sitting at $4.08 per gallon. Prices in July surged by 3.7%, higher than expectations, and close to a three-year high.
Meanwhile, as Americans struggle to afford high prices, Vance is sending out fundraising texts, acknowledging, "Groceries cost what they cost" under the Trump-Vance administration.
It's no wonder Trump's approval rating has sunk to the lowest point of his entire presidency, with a meager 33% of Americans approving of his job performance.
* * *
Original text here: https://democrats.org/statement-from-dnc-chair-ken-martin-on-six-months-of-trumps-war-with-iran/
NRCC: Marcy Kaptur Gave Steel Lobbyist Power of Attorney While Raking in Cash From Lobbyist's PAC
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The National Republican Congressional Committee posted the following news:
* * *
Marcy Kaptur Gave Steel Lobbyist Power of Attorney While Raking in Cash from Lobbyist's PAC
Ohio Democrat Marcy Kaptur "maintained a lifelong friendship with a steel lobbyist -- even giving her power of attorney -- while also accepting campaign donations from the lobbyist and her firm's PAC over two decades in Congress."
"Out of touch Democrat Marcy Kaptur is a failed career politician who is more focused on pleasing her lobbyist friend who funnels cash to her campaign bank account than hardworking ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The National Republican Congressional Committee posted the following news: * * * Marcy Kaptur Gave Steel Lobbyist Power of Attorney While Raking in Cash from Lobbyist's PAC Ohio Democrat Marcy Kaptur "maintained a lifelong friendship with a steel lobbyist -- even giving her power of attorney -- while also accepting campaign donations from the lobbyist and her firm's PAC over two decades in Congress." "Out of touch Democrat Marcy Kaptur is a failed career politician who is more focused on pleasing her lobbyist friend who funnels cash to her campaign bank account than hardworkingOhioans. Kaptur will be held accountable and retired this fall." - NRCC Spokesman Zach Bannon
Read more from the New York Post here (https://nypost.com/2026/08/27/us-news/ohio-dem-maintained-cozy-relationship-with-steel-lobbyist-once-gave-her-power-of-attorney/) or see excerpts below:
Ohio Dem maintained cozy relationship with steel lobbyist, once gave her power of attorney
New York Post
Josh Christenson
August 27, 2026
An Ohio Democrat maintained a lifelong friendship with a steel lobbyist -- even giving her power of attorney -- while also accepting campaign donations from the lobbyist and her firm's PAC over two decades in Congress, according to photos, records and the congresswoman's office.
Rep. Marcy Kaptur's principal campaign committee took nearly $40,000 from the lobbyist, Eileen Bradner, and her firm's PAC -- and records filed in the city of Alexandria, Va., also showed that Bradner was briefly listed as Kaptur's attorney-in-fact when she was refinancing her condo in August 2010.
"It is extremely bizarre for a Member of Congress to give power of attorney to a major DC lobbyist," said Caitlin Sutherland, executive director for Americans for Public Trust.
"Marcy Kaptur has been outspoken about ethics and transparency, yet she engaged in a relationship that gave the appearance of a potential conflict of interest. This raises serious questions about whether this woman lobbied Kaptur's office or received any other special access or benefit while acting as an agent for the congresswoman."
[...]
Bradner served as a lobbyist for Wiley Rein LLP from 1998 to 2009 and from there, as senior director of federal government affairs at Nucor Corporation before retiring in 2023. She donated $2,150 directly to Kaptur's campaigns between 2004 and 2018.
Nucor Corporation's Political Action Committee also contributed $38,400 between October 2008 and March 2026 to Kaptur's campaign. Bradner was Nucor's top lobbyist from August 2009 to August 2023, according to her LinkedIn account.
At the same time, Kaptur frequently voted in favor of legislation for which Bradner was lobbying, including the Emergency Steel Loan Guarantee and Emergency Oil and Gas Guaranteed Loan Act of 1999, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and, most recently, the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act.
More than 30 votes or co-sponsorships of legislation coincided with Bradner's lobbying position over a roughly two-decade period, according to a Post review of disclosures and House votes.
The Ohio congresswoman in at least one instance also voted against a bill, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, that was opposed by Bradner.
[...]
* * *
Original text here: https://www.nrcc.org/2026/08/28/marcy-kaptur-gave-steel-lobbyist-power-of-attorney-while-raking-in-cash-from-lobbyists-pac/
* * *
Marcy Kaptur Gave Steel Lobbyist Power of Attorney While Raking in Cash from Lobbyist's PAC
Ohio Democrat Marcy Kaptur "maintained a lifelong friendship with a steel lobbyist -- even giving her power of attorney -- while also accepting campaign donations from the lobbyist and her firm's PAC over two decades in Congress."
"Out of touch Democrat Marcy Kaptur is a failed career politician who is more focused on pleasing her lobbyist friend who funnels cash to her campaign bank account than hardworking ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The National Republican Congressional Committee posted the following news: * * * Marcy Kaptur Gave Steel Lobbyist Power of Attorney While Raking in Cash from Lobbyist's PAC Ohio Democrat Marcy Kaptur "maintained a lifelong friendship with a steel lobbyist -- even giving her power of attorney -- while also accepting campaign donations from the lobbyist and her firm's PAC over two decades in Congress." "Out of touch Democrat Marcy Kaptur is a failed career politician who is more focused on pleasing her lobbyist friend who funnels cash to her campaign bank account than hardworkingOhioans. Kaptur will be held accountable and retired this fall." - NRCC Spokesman Zach Bannon
Read more from the New York Post here (https://nypost.com/2026/08/27/us-news/ohio-dem-maintained-cozy-relationship-with-steel-lobbyist-once-gave-her-power-of-attorney/) or see excerpts below:
Ohio Dem maintained cozy relationship with steel lobbyist, once gave her power of attorney
New York Post
Josh Christenson
August 27, 2026
An Ohio Democrat maintained a lifelong friendship with a steel lobbyist -- even giving her power of attorney -- while also accepting campaign donations from the lobbyist and her firm's PAC over two decades in Congress, according to photos, records and the congresswoman's office.
Rep. Marcy Kaptur's principal campaign committee took nearly $40,000 from the lobbyist, Eileen Bradner, and her firm's PAC -- and records filed in the city of Alexandria, Va., also showed that Bradner was briefly listed as Kaptur's attorney-in-fact when she was refinancing her condo in August 2010.
"It is extremely bizarre for a Member of Congress to give power of attorney to a major DC lobbyist," said Caitlin Sutherland, executive director for Americans for Public Trust.
"Marcy Kaptur has been outspoken about ethics and transparency, yet she engaged in a relationship that gave the appearance of a potential conflict of interest. This raises serious questions about whether this woman lobbied Kaptur's office or received any other special access or benefit while acting as an agent for the congresswoman."
[...]
Bradner served as a lobbyist for Wiley Rein LLP from 1998 to 2009 and from there, as senior director of federal government affairs at Nucor Corporation before retiring in 2023. She donated $2,150 directly to Kaptur's campaigns between 2004 and 2018.
Nucor Corporation's Political Action Committee also contributed $38,400 between October 2008 and March 2026 to Kaptur's campaign. Bradner was Nucor's top lobbyist from August 2009 to August 2023, according to her LinkedIn account.
At the same time, Kaptur frequently voted in favor of legislation for which Bradner was lobbying, including the Emergency Steel Loan Guarantee and Emergency Oil and Gas Guaranteed Loan Act of 1999, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 and, most recently, the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act.
More than 30 votes or co-sponsorships of legislation coincided with Bradner's lobbying position over a roughly two-decade period, according to a Post review of disclosures and House votes.
The Ohio congresswoman in at least one instance also voted against a bill, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, that was opposed by Bradner.
[...]
* * *
Original text here: https://www.nrcc.org/2026/08/28/marcy-kaptur-gave-steel-lobbyist-power-of-attorney-while-raking-in-cash-from-lobbyists-pac/
ICYMI: Socialist Felon William Lawrence Loves the Chinese Communist Party
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The National Republican Congressional Committee posted the following news:
* * *
ICYMI: Socialist Felon William Lawrence Loves the Chinese Communist Party
Socialist felon William Lawrence "has a history of defending the Chinese government and criticizing U.S. economic and military dominance."
Lawrence repeatedly "criticized what he saw as anti-Chinese positions" and "denounced the goals of American military and economic dominance."
"Socialist felon William Lawrence made it clear: he loves the Chinese Communist Party and hates America. Lawrence continues to prove that ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The National Republican Congressional Committee posted the following news: * * * ICYMI: Socialist Felon William Lawrence Loves the Chinese Communist Party Socialist felon William Lawrence "has a history of defending the Chinese government and criticizing U.S. economic and military dominance." Lawrence repeatedly "criticized what he saw as anti-Chinese positions" and "denounced the goals of American military and economic dominance." "Socialist felon William Lawrence made it clear: he loves the Chinese Communist Party and hates America. Lawrence continues to prove thathe is unfit to serve in Congress and too extreme to represent Mid-Michigan." - NRCC Spokesman Zach Bannon
Read more from The Washington Times here (https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/aug/26/william-lawrence-michigan-democrat-defended-chinese-government/) or see excerpts below:
Michigan Democrat denounced U.S. 'primacy,' defended Chinese government
The Washington Times
George Caldwell
August 26, 2026
William Lawrence, the Democratic nominee for a Michigan swing district, has a history of defending the Chinese government and criticizing U.S. economic and military dominance.
From May 2023 to October 2024, Mr. Lawrence hosted a podcast called "Hegemonicon," in which he repeatedly said America treats China's government unfairly.
"I'm just always going to say this is madness," he said in an August 2024 episode about the U.S.-Chinese competition.
Mr. Lawrence, a self-identified socialist, explained that he lived in China for six months as a teenager.
"The caricatures that are drawn of Chinese people and the Chinese state is so far from reality. This stuff we hear in the news every day, it's just ... really sad," he said.
The show was published by Convergence, which describes itself as "a magazine for radical insights."
In a separate episode that summer two years ago, Mr. Lawrence criticized what he saw as anti-Chinese positions of the Biden administration and suggested the U.S. lacks high ground when it criticizes China for falling short on human rights and democratic standards.
[...]
Mr. Lawrence's criticism of the Biden administration's cold relationship with China was a common theme on the podcast.
In another episode, Mr. Lawrence criticized those on the left who are "pro-economic nationalism ... who are unabashedly celebrating Bidenomics, including its anti-Chinese protectionist elements."
He accused those figures of resorting to "ill-informed American chauvinism or false or incomplete characterizations of the Chinese system."
Finally, Mr. Lawrence denounced the goals of American military and economic dominance.
"We must strengthen the anti-war movement, the movement for an arms embargo against Israel, but also a broader push against militarism and the U.S. doctrine of primacy," he said.
Mr. Lawrence defined the doctrine of primacy as the U.S. being "capable of winning any war in any arena of the globe at any time."
He said that idea is "actually crazy if you stop to think about it."
[...]
* * *
Original text here: https://www.nrcc.org/2026/08/28/icymi-socialist-felon-william-lawrence-loves-the-chinese-communist-party/
* * *
ICYMI: Socialist Felon William Lawrence Loves the Chinese Communist Party
Socialist felon William Lawrence "has a history of defending the Chinese government and criticizing U.S. economic and military dominance."
Lawrence repeatedly "criticized what he saw as anti-Chinese positions" and "denounced the goals of American military and economic dominance."
"Socialist felon William Lawrence made it clear: he loves the Chinese Communist Party and hates America. Lawrence continues to prove that ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The National Republican Congressional Committee posted the following news: * * * ICYMI: Socialist Felon William Lawrence Loves the Chinese Communist Party Socialist felon William Lawrence "has a history of defending the Chinese government and criticizing U.S. economic and military dominance." Lawrence repeatedly "criticized what he saw as anti-Chinese positions" and "denounced the goals of American military and economic dominance." "Socialist felon William Lawrence made it clear: he loves the Chinese Communist Party and hates America. Lawrence continues to prove thathe is unfit to serve in Congress and too extreme to represent Mid-Michigan." - NRCC Spokesman Zach Bannon
Read more from The Washington Times here (https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2026/aug/26/william-lawrence-michigan-democrat-defended-chinese-government/) or see excerpts below:
Michigan Democrat denounced U.S. 'primacy,' defended Chinese government
The Washington Times
George Caldwell
August 26, 2026
William Lawrence, the Democratic nominee for a Michigan swing district, has a history of defending the Chinese government and criticizing U.S. economic and military dominance.
From May 2023 to October 2024, Mr. Lawrence hosted a podcast called "Hegemonicon," in which he repeatedly said America treats China's government unfairly.
"I'm just always going to say this is madness," he said in an August 2024 episode about the U.S.-Chinese competition.
Mr. Lawrence, a self-identified socialist, explained that he lived in China for six months as a teenager.
"The caricatures that are drawn of Chinese people and the Chinese state is so far from reality. This stuff we hear in the news every day, it's just ... really sad," he said.
The show was published by Convergence, which describes itself as "a magazine for radical insights."
In a separate episode that summer two years ago, Mr. Lawrence criticized what he saw as anti-Chinese positions of the Biden administration and suggested the U.S. lacks high ground when it criticizes China for falling short on human rights and democratic standards.
[...]
Mr. Lawrence's criticism of the Biden administration's cold relationship with China was a common theme on the podcast.
In another episode, Mr. Lawrence criticized those on the left who are "pro-economic nationalism ... who are unabashedly celebrating Bidenomics, including its anti-Chinese protectionist elements."
He accused those figures of resorting to "ill-informed American chauvinism or false or incomplete characterizations of the Chinese system."
Finally, Mr. Lawrence denounced the goals of American military and economic dominance.
"We must strengthen the anti-war movement, the movement for an arms embargo against Israel, but also a broader push against militarism and the U.S. doctrine of primacy," he said.
Mr. Lawrence defined the doctrine of primacy as the U.S. being "capable of winning any war in any arena of the globe at any time."
He said that idea is "actually crazy if you stop to think about it."
[...]
* * *
Original text here: https://www.nrcc.org/2026/08/28/icymi-socialist-felon-william-lawrence-loves-the-chinese-communist-party/
Democratic Governors Association: First Poll of General Election Shows Cindy Holscher Leading Ty Masterson in Kansas Gov Race
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic Governors Association posted the following news:
* * *
First Poll of General Election Shows Cindy Holscher Leading Ty Masterson in Kansas Gov Race
New poll finds Masterson underwater, Holscher with a "huge advantage among moderates"
-
New polling first reported by POLITICO shows Kansas Democratic nominee for governor Cindy Holscher leading Republican Ty Masterson, 47 to 46 percent. The poll shows Holscher with a "huge advantage among moderates," winning unaffiliated voters by double digits. Meanwhile, Masterson is deeply unpopular with Kansas voters, and ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic Governors Association posted the following news: * * * First Poll of General Election Shows Cindy Holscher Leading Ty Masterson in Kansas Gov Race New poll finds Masterson underwater, Holscher with a "huge advantage among moderates" - New polling first reported by POLITICO shows Kansas Democratic nominee for governor Cindy Holscher leading Republican Ty Masterson, 47 to 46 percent. The poll shows Holscher with a "huge advantage among moderates," winning unaffiliated voters by double digits. Meanwhile, Masterson is deeply unpopular with Kansas voters, andone in five Republicans have already abandoned Masterson in favor of Holscher.
Masterson is further dragged down by voter fatigue with Donald Trump, whose favorability is 8 points underwater in the state.
The polling also finds that Sam Brownback remains an extremely unpopular figure in Kansas with a whopping 64% unfavorability rating. This is a massive vulnerability for Masterson, who not only voted to pass the disastrous experiment but called bipartisan efforts to repeal it "a piece of garbage." Meanwhile, Holscher played a leading role in overturning the failed experiment and putting Kansas on a road to recovery.
"This poll makes clear that Kansans from across the political aisle don't want Sam Brownback's top ally Ty Masterson anywhere near the governor's office, and they are lining up behind Cindy Holscher," said DGA Deputy Communications Director Johanna Warshaw. "Holscher is the only candidate in this race committed to taking on special interests to lower costs, fully fund Kansas schools, and cut property taxes - that's why she's well positioned to win this November."
* * *
Original text here: https://democraticgovernors.org/updates/first-poll-of-general-election-shows-cindy-holscher-leading-ty-masterson-in-kansas-gov-race/
* * *
First Poll of General Election Shows Cindy Holscher Leading Ty Masterson in Kansas Gov Race
New poll finds Masterson underwater, Holscher with a "huge advantage among moderates"
-
New polling first reported by POLITICO shows Kansas Democratic nominee for governor Cindy Holscher leading Republican Ty Masterson, 47 to 46 percent. The poll shows Holscher with a "huge advantage among moderates," winning unaffiliated voters by double digits. Meanwhile, Masterson is deeply unpopular with Kansas voters, and ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic Governors Association posted the following news: * * * First Poll of General Election Shows Cindy Holscher Leading Ty Masterson in Kansas Gov Race New poll finds Masterson underwater, Holscher with a "huge advantage among moderates" - New polling first reported by POLITICO shows Kansas Democratic nominee for governor Cindy Holscher leading Republican Ty Masterson, 47 to 46 percent. The poll shows Holscher with a "huge advantage among moderates," winning unaffiliated voters by double digits. Meanwhile, Masterson is deeply unpopular with Kansas voters, andone in five Republicans have already abandoned Masterson in favor of Holscher.
Masterson is further dragged down by voter fatigue with Donald Trump, whose favorability is 8 points underwater in the state.
The polling also finds that Sam Brownback remains an extremely unpopular figure in Kansas with a whopping 64% unfavorability rating. This is a massive vulnerability for Masterson, who not only voted to pass the disastrous experiment but called bipartisan efforts to repeal it "a piece of garbage." Meanwhile, Holscher played a leading role in overturning the failed experiment and putting Kansas on a road to recovery.
"This poll makes clear that Kansans from across the political aisle don't want Sam Brownback's top ally Ty Masterson anywhere near the governor's office, and they are lining up behind Cindy Holscher," said DGA Deputy Communications Director Johanna Warshaw. "Holscher is the only candidate in this race committed to taking on special interests to lower costs, fully fund Kansas schools, and cut property taxes - that's why she's well positioned to win this November."
* * *
Original text here: https://democraticgovernors.org/updates/first-poll-of-general-election-shows-cindy-holscher-leading-ty-masterson-in-kansas-gov-race/
DSCC Friday Takeaways: Price is WRONG, Paxton's Ruff Record, Hin-surance Policy, and Sununu's Fowl Play
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee posted the following news wrap up entitled "DSCC Friday Takeaways":
* * *
DSCC FRIDAY TAKEAWAYS: The Price is WRONG, Paxton's Ruff Record, Hin-surance Policy, and Sununu's Fowl Play
TGIF. Welcome back to Friday Takeaways from the DSCC - your weekly update from the DSCC Press Team on what you need to know across the Senate battlegrounds. There are 67 days until the midterms. DROP US A LINE: press@dscc.org.
* THE PRICE IS...WRONG: After serving as a rubber stamp for Trump's chaotic tariff policies, Republicans in states "at the ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee posted the following news wrap up entitled "DSCC Friday Takeaways": * * * DSCC FRIDAY TAKEAWAYS: The Price is WRONG, Paxton's Ruff Record, Hin-surance Policy, and Sununu's Fowl Play TGIF. Welcome back to Friday Takeaways from the DSCC - your weekly update from the DSCC Press Team on what you need to know across the Senate battlegrounds. There are 67 days until the midterms. DROP US A LINE: press@dscc.org. * THE PRICE IS...WRONG: After serving as a rubber stamp for Trump's chaotic tariff policies, Republicans in states "at theforefront of the midterm battleground map" are likely going to face major "political consequences" as a new round of reckless, price-hiking tariffs begins. Analysts are warning that Republicans' "control of the Senate may be a casualty" of the latest tariffs, which will likely have an "outsized effect" in a number of states that "could determine the Senate majority next year." Even Bob Barker would've called that overbid.
- COME ON DOWN! (IN THE POLLS): GOP Senate candidates are "in a precarious position" as Democrats "see opportunities to further expand the Senate map." These latest "political headaches" are "making life harder for [...] Senate Republican candidates" and come as GOP Senators admit that they "don't have a positive message" and are preparing to "suffer the consequences in November."
- MEET THE CONTESTANTS: GOP Senate candidates across key battleground states have vowed support for and even voted to uphold the chaotic, price-spiking tariffs:
= IN ALASKA: Dan Sullivan supports and is "totally okay with" the GOP's price-spiking tariffs, voting in favor of them multiple times and even backing legislation to make them "stronger from a legal perspective."
= IN GEORGIA: Mike Collins supports the GOP's price-spiking tariffs, voting in favor of them multiple times and arguing that "our economy is better off because of them."
= IN IOWA: Ashley Hinson supports the GOP's price-spiking tariffs, voting in favor of them multiple times and continuing to defend them after the Supreme Court struck them down.
= IN MAINE: Susan Collins has argued that her post as chair of "the most powerful committee in Congress" would help her "shape the fiscal priorities of our country," but has refused to use her power as Appropriations chair to stop Trump's tariffs and even voted against an attempt to prevent the tariffs from increasing grocery prices.
= IN MICHIGAN: Mike Rogers supports the GOP's price-spiking tariffs, calling them a "masterful" decision and an "absolute win." Rogers said people needed to have a "little bit of patience" for tariffs to "work."
= IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: John E. Sununu supports the GOP's price-spiking tariffs, claiming tariffs were "important" and would have a "very modest" economic impact.
= IN NORTH CAROLINA: Michael Whatley "wholeheartedly" supports the GOP's price-spiking tariffs, claiming they would "ultimately" be good for North Carolina.
= IN OHIO: Jon Husted supports the GOP's price-spiking tariffs, voted in favor of them multiple times, and said they were giving Ohio businesses "a great boost."
= IN TEXAS: Ken Paxton "fully supports" the GOP's price-spiking tariffs, calling them a "bold action."
- GOP DENIED: "Democrats scored a legal victory" Tuesday after a federal appeals court held that political party committees and joint fundraising committees are not entitled to the lowest unit advertising rates reserved for candidates.
- BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME! Now, reporting highlights how Democratic Senate candidates repeatedly "outraising Republicans in key races" remains a major campaign advantage in the midterm spending fight - an advantage Republicans sought to cut down by rigging the rules in their favor when they brought their original case to strike down the coordinated party spending limits all the way up to the Supreme Court.
- TRUMP COUNTRY... NO LONGER: The latest blow to Republicans comes in the same week wall-to-wall coverage is highlighting how Democrats have "opened up more than one path to winning control of the Senate" with a "sprawling" map that stretches "deep into Trump country" and are feeling "as confident as they ever have been during this cycle" about regaining control of the "increasingly up for grabs" chamber.
= PRICES UP, POLLS DOWN: Meanwhile, "Republicans are nervous" and "concede their candidates are facing a difficult environment" as voters roundly reject the toxic GOP agenda that has "driven increases in the costs of fuel, food and health services, putting Republicans on the defensive in states they once saw as much safer terrain."
= SUMMER SLUMP: Now, with GOP Senate candidates "embroiled in unsavory scandals," "individual Democratic Senate candidates are handily out-raising their Republican opponents" and "lead in most battleground state polls," while "Republicans are spending the summer defending territory they typically don't worry about."
* WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:
- NBC News' RYAN NOBLES: The Democrats right now feel as confident as they ever have been during this cycle about their - at least potential - opportunity to win back the Senate. [...] The results in Alaska during this last primary were as good as they could possibly be with Mary Peltola. They have very encouraging signs in Iowa; obviously the situation in Texas looks encouraging to them.
- NBC News' JOHN HEILEMANN: You have a situation [in Texas], as we've said 100 times, a uniquely bad, disliked, corrupt Republican nominee against a maybe a generational Democratic talent in James Talarico, [...], someone who does not look like a lot of the Democrats that have run in Texas over the past 20, 30 years. And it could be this could be the year.
- THE FUTURE IS... BLUE: Race raters at Sabato's Crystal Ball have shifted the Texas Senate race to a toss-up, as James Talarico posts "regular polling leads," suggesting that he "might be better positioned now than O'Rourke was at this point in 2018." Didn't even need the crystal ball for this one.
= GOP OUTLOOK - NOT SO GOOD: GOP strategists are "hardly enthusiastic" as corrupt Ken Paxton does "little to dispel the concerns some in his party had long harbored" about his candidacy. Now, "Paxton's favorability has been underwater in nearly every survey, and he's underperforming his own party's base support in several polls."
= IF PAST IS PROLOGUE... This comes less than one week after race raters at the Cook Political Report shifted the Texas and Iowa Senate races to Toss-Ups - making "the overall battle for the Senate [...] a tossup."
- PITS OF SCANDAL: Scandal-plagued Georgia GOP Senate Candidate Mike Collins faced yet another round of controversies this week related to his ties to white nationalists and an ongoing ethics investigation into his misuse of taxpayer dollars...
= "STONEWALLING AND OBSTRUCTING": First - Senator Ossoff held a press conference where he demanded that Mike Collins explain to Georgia voters why he has refused to answer questions, refused to testify, and obstructed the Office of Congressional Conduct's ongoing ethics investigation into his misuse of taxpayer dollars by allowing his former chief of staff, who had been convicted of criminal battery, to illegally funnel thousands of federal tax dollars to his girlfriend, who did no work for the office.
= WILL HE OR WON'T HE? The Ossoff campaign also released a new video, "Mike Collins: Will you testify?" to slam him for his failure to cooperate with the ethics investigation:
="DISGRACEFUL AND DISQUALIFYING": Later in the week at an event in Macon, Ossoff again called on Collins to release every email, every text message, every Signal message, and every other communication between Collins' office and notorious white supremacists following yet another new alarming report about Collins' ties to white nationalists, including a former staffer who has been uplifting Nazi imagery and depicting himself in a costume of the Ku Klux Klan as recently as June and July.
- Here's some of what Sen. Ossoff had to say on Collins' latest scandals:
= OSSOFF on Collins' refusal to cooperate with the ongoing ethics investigation into his misuse of taxpayer funds: "As you're all aware, Congressman Mike Collins is under federal investigation for the illegal misuse of tax dollars. What you may not be aware of, is that, according to the Office of Congressional Conduct, Congressman Collins has been stonewalling, and obstructing, and refusing to cooperate with the investigation of this wrongdoing."
= OSSOFF on the latest revelations about Collins' ties to white nationalists and neo-Nazis: "One of the congressman's staffers posting swastikas online and depicting himself in the costume of the Ku Klux Klan. Disgraceful--disgraceful, and disqualifying. Yet another week, yet another scandal for the bigot Congressman Mike Collins and his collapsing Senate campaign. Mike Collins needs to hold a press conference this afternoon, and he needs to release all of the communications that he continues to hide between his office and these white supremacists."
- IT HASN'T STOPPED: Now, Georgians are taking notice - a new column in the AJC highlighted how Collins's neo-Nazi propagandist son-in-law David Alan Scheer is CONTINUING to film and post "white nationalist and antisemitic" content from GOP U.S. Senate nominee Mike Collins' own backyard.
= AJC's PATRICIA MURPHY: "But the problem for Collins is that the hate he says he condemns is coming from his own backyard [...] And it hasn't stopped."
- HIN-SURANCE POLICY: Bombshell new reporting from NOTUS revealed this week that Ashley Hinson's husband helped his insurance industry lobbying group "arrange meetings with Hinson and other Iowa congressional delegation members," according to breaking new reporting from NOTUS. Per the report, a top insurance lobby executive even "credited [Hinson's husband] for helping them gain access to Hinson and other Iowa lawmakers."
= PRE-EXISTING CONDITION: Reporting notes that Hinson and her husband have "deep ties to the insurance industry" given his history as a "longtime insurance executive" who owns "millions worth of interest in a private equity-backed brokerage." The arrangement is raising serious ethics concerns, with independent watchdog observers saying that his position "blurs the line" between business interests and public office - while the insurance lobbying group's PAC has poured nearly $70,000 to Hinson's campaign and affiliated PACs.
= 0 FOR 6: And it's because of this exact shady, self-serving behavior that Iowans are abandoning Hinson. According to a new report from the Washington Examiner, Hinson won zero of the six self-identified independent Iowa voters in their recent focus group... The top concern for every independent voter was tariffs and the cost of living, which Hinson has made worse by voting four times to continue tariffs and six times to continue the war in Iran - both of which are spiking gas and grocery costs.
= ONE PARTICIPANT SAYS... Don, a 68-year-old Independent voter from Chariton, specifically called out Hinson for "not doing anything for the tariffs" and "cutting Medicare and Medicaid," as 842 healthcare facilities have closed in Iowa since Hinson has been in Congress.
- PAXTON'S RUFF RECORD: This week, America celebrated National Dog Day... at least everyone in America except anti-puppy Ken Paxton, who was just exposed for burying the record of hundreds of tortured puppies in research labs, concealing alleged animal abuse from public records requests. Paxton was one of only 15 Republicans to vote against a bill that made animal abusers, instead of taxpayers and shelters, pay for the cost of housing for the animals they had abused.
= "INFLEXIBLE ACOLYTE" KEN PAXTON: Being anti-puppy is apparently not very popular with voters... The Houston Chronicle is out with scathing new analysis on how Paxton's failing campaign has been a disaster, with him fumbling on opportunities to "present himself as something besides an inflexible acolyte" on key Texas issues. From saying he wanted limits on IVF and dodging questions on Texas' THC ban, it's clear that Paxton's campaign grows weaker every passing day.
= CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: And not even Republicans want to stick their neck out for Paxton... Last Sunday on Meet the Press, NRSC Chair Tim Scott repeatedly refused to defend him and dodged when asked if he believes Paxton has the character to serve in the U.S. Senate...
= CORN-FESSION: Meanwhile, Paxton's defeated primary opponent John Cornyn slammed him in a recent Texas Tribune interview, saying Paxton is a "poor campaigner," who is "lazy and doesn't raise money" and is "not offering a very compelling case for his election." Could not have said it better ourselves.
- MIKE'S MASTERFUL MATH: Up in Michigan - which borders Canada and is likely to be hit harder by the GOP's latest round of tariffs than any other state - Michiganders are reading all about how Price Hike Mike Rogers has "stood by the Trump administration's policies, including on tariffs" and repeatedly dismissed their concerns about tariff price hikes. This includes calling them "masterful" and falsely claiming they'd yield "$2,000 dividend checks" (???) for Michiganders...
MIKE DROP: There's just one thing missing from those stories, though - any comment from Rogers, who's refusing to speak out against Trump as he starts another trade war with Michigan's largest trading partner. Rogers' no-comment list now includes:
+ Michigan Advance: "Mike Rogers, has stood by the Trump administration's policies, including on tariffs, throughout his campaign, and has not commented to multiple reporters on the most recent round of tariffs. A spokesperson for Rogers' campaign didn't provide a direct comment on the new tariffs [...]"
= Politico: "Campaign representatives for [...] former Rep. Mike Rogers, who is the GOP Senate nominee in Michigan, did not respond to requests for comment about the Canada tariffs."
= Semafor: "A spokesperson for Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers pointed Semafor to previous comments he made about negotiating with Canada and preventing Chinese auto imports."
= ABC: "Rogers' campaign declined to comment on the new round of tariffs on Canada -- instead pointing to his past comments on increasing U.S. manufacturing."
= NBC: "His campaign didn't say how Rogers would vote on Senate resolutions to revoke Trump's tariffs on Canada."
= WDIV: "So far Republican candidates John James and Mike Rogers have not weighed in on the tariffs on their social media accounts. We've reached out to each campaign for comment."
- DIDN'T LEAVE HIS FLIP-FLOPS IN FLORIDA: After spending months urging data center development in Michigan, dismissing residents' concerns about environmental impacts, and predicting communities might ask for multiple data centers - Rogers flip-flopped last week the moment the issue turned toxic with voters. What a coincidence...
- A SCANDAL IN SANDALS: Despite promoting data centers as recently as late July, Rogers' flip-flop came just days after the NRSC sent out a memo warning that anger over data centers was an "anchor hanging around [GOP candidates'] neck[s]." It also landed the same week a new report revealed Rogers holds "millions in tech investments that could benefit from the data center boom," even as he backed policies to fast-track their development in Michigan...
- WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER: This week, the President of Social Security Works PAC presented Dan Sullivan with a "Roadblock to Social Security" Award across the street from the Anchorage Social Security Administration building... This award recognizes Sullivan's long record of attempting to BLOCK Alaskans from receiving their hard-earned Social Security benefits, including proposing to raise the retirement age and voting to create a "back door for privatizing Social Security." WATCH:
= President of Social Security Works PAC JON "BOWZER" BAUMAN: "Sullivan has undermined Social Security and jeopardized the retirement benefits Alaskans have paid into for their entire lives, and most egregiously, he has continually proposed raising the retirement age. We at Social Security Works hope that Dan Sullivan can find a good spot on his desk for this because he only has a few months more to enjoy it before Alaskans elect Mary Peltola as their next senator."
= 3,000 AND COUNTING: But it's not just Social Security that Sullivan has gone after in the Senate - the Anchorage Daily News this week highlighted just how much Sullivan's healthcare crisis is increasingly costing his constituents... Some insurers in Alaska are now looking to raise rates "by more than 26%" as cuts to Medicaid spending increase the number of uninsured Alaskans - adding to the nearly 3,000 Alaskans who have already dropped their healthcare coverage through the individual marketplace...
= STILL HUNGRY? Don't worry, though... While Alaskans lose health care and contend with Sullivan-backed cuts to Social Security, he "hasn't lost his appetite due to primary stress" and has blown through thousands in campaign cash at flashy DC restaurants and luxury hotels - all while Alaskans are paying nearly $5 a gallon for gas and 20% more than the rest of the country for groceries...
- OUT ON A LIMB: This week, as Trump ratchets up his trade war with Canada and threatens to exacerbate Maine's affordability crisis even further, political analysts are pointing out how the tariffs are "not helpful for Susan Collins" and "giving Democrats an upper hand" in Maine as Collins faces the "political fight of her life."
* ON THE AIRWAVES:
- Puck News' MARIANNA SOTOMAYOR: "I mean, this is giving Democrats an upper hand in an argument. Regardless of which race we're looking at, as we saw there with Troy Jackson being able to say, well, Susan Collins is a Republican. She has been voting with Republicans."
- SUSAN AND JD - BEST FRIENDS FOREVER: Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance visited Maine this week, where he praised Susan Collins as a "dear friend" who is doing an "amazing job" ... Vance said that he is working so closely with Collins that she has been to his house "half a dozen times" while he has been Vice President...
- I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU! But that wasn't the only MAGA praise shady Susan got this week - on The Charlie Kirk Show, far-right hosts Andrew Kolvet and Blake Neff praised Susan Collins, saying that "when we need her, she's there."
= ANDREW KOLVET: "Well, you know it's interesting about Susan Collins. [...] JD was campaigning for her in Maine this morning, so that's interesting, and Charlie always gave Susan Collins a pass."
= BLAKE NEFF: "Because we want the most conservative lawmakers we can get. And here's the truth with Susan Collins that when we need her, she's been there."
- SHADY SUSAN STRIKES AGAIN: And Collins' week went from bad to worse when she was implicated in a "lobbyist pay-to-play" scheme wherein her husband - former lobbyist Thomas Daffron - received a consulting fee last year from his former firm while it was taking an "enormous amount of money" to lobby Congress on behalf of those who have donated to Collins' campaign, have personal ties to her, or have business before her committee...
- MORE LIKE SILENT SUSAN: As she continues her 25-year streak of not holding a town hall and avoiding answering to Maine voters, questions are piling up about Collins' record of selling out Mainers while enriching herself, lobbyists, and big corporations, including:
= 1 What work did Collins' former lobbyist husband do for the firm, and does Collins think it's a conflict of interest given the company has clients who are her campaign donors and have business in front of her?
= 2 Senate financial disclosure rules don't require Collins to report the full sum that Daffron received... Will she share exactly how much money a lobbying firm with business in front of her committees paid her husband?
= 3 Reporting in April found that Collins, whose husband owns more than $100,000 in oil and gas stock and who voted five times against ending the Iran War, had profited almost $25,000 as gas prices soared due to Trump's war. How much cash has Collins made on her oil and gas stock? Does she think it's a conflict of interest to profit off the war?
** FOWL PLAY: John E. Sununu is currently being lit up for "chickening out" of WMUR's televised Republican primary debate, with Granite Staters calling the decision an "unforced error," and referring to Sununu as "a coward and arrogant," for his "constant pattern of being absent in the campaign" ... Even his fellow Republicans are questioning his campaign's decision - with some claiming it makes him "not qualified to be in Congress" ...
** WHATLEY VS. WHATLEY, VOL. 3: New reporting from the News & Observer reveals that Michael Whatley and NC Republicans are changing their tune on Roy Cooper's crime record. Six years ago, the NC GOP criticized Cooper for being too tough on crime just six years ago, blasting Cooper for sponsoring "draconian" legislation that pushed for stricter sentencing laws and abolishing parole for criminals serving life sentences. Now, Michael Whatley is misleading North Carolinians and changing his narrative for political gain....
- FROM THE REPORT:
= "The North Carolina Republican Party, led by Chairman Michael Whatley, accused former Gov. Roy Cooper of sponsoring 'draconian' crime bills...Since Cooper left office and began his run for U.S. Senate, Republicans have tried to rewrite the narrative on Cooper as soft on crime."
= FLIGHT RISK: Meanwhile, new reporting exposed Whatley's pricey habit of spending more than a hundred thousand dollars to travel on a private jet LINKED TO A CONVICTED FELON... Whatley has a long pattern of protecting convicted felons - from appointing child predator Harvey West, to being complicit in covering up the Epstein files...
= IT GETS WORSE? Turns out Ohio's own Jon Husted's record on nursing homes is worse than what had been previously reported... New reporting from TiffinOhio found that Husted protected abusive and neglectful nursing homes that dumped seniors at homeless shelters across Ohio... This follows previous reporting from NBC 4 Columbus showing Husted has taken "more than a million dollars from the nursing home industry, executives, and lobbyists" after he pushed for the passage of legislation that "shielded Ohio nursing homes from liability, even in wrongful death and abuse cases."
* STEUBENVILLE SPEAKS: In response, Ohioans in Steubenville gathered to slam Husted for his anti-senior record... which includes cutting seniors' health care, pushing massive cuts to Social Security and Medicare, and protecting the abusive nursing home industry.
= Former state Representative EILEEN KRUPINSKI: "Thanks to the votes Jon Husted has made, nursing homes that rely on Medicaid money will have to shut down their business. And then what happens to their employees? I don't want to see our seniors suffer by losing Medicaid. They're not going to stop with eliminating Medicaid. They're going to turn their attention to Social Security and Medicare, and I'm sorry to say that Jon Husted already has."
= Ohio senior and United Steelworkers District 1 staff representative JOHN SAUNDERS: "This town, this valley, has a lot of older people who worked in the mills, worked in aluminum, and worked in the coal mines. They're depending on those benefits. Jon Husted continues to side with the other side. We're here fighting on their behalf to preserve those benefits."
* IN THE STATES:
- AK - Daily Mail: Alaskan senator caught spending campaign funds lavishly hasn't learned as he drops $13,000 on not-yet-open DC steakhouse and checks himself into ANOTHER luxury resort ahead of tight primary
- GA - WGXA: Ossoff calls out Collins' reported 'extensive ties' to White nationalism at Macon visit
- IA - KGAN: Senate candidate Josh Turek discusses cancer rates with survivors in Cedar Rapids
- ME - Semafor: Maine Democrat Jackson goes positive in statewide ad
- MI - Semafor: Canada tariffs complicate Republicans' Senate defense
- MS - Tippah News: Thompson and Colom urge Black voters to turn out in Mississippi midterms amid redistricting fight
- NH - NBC Boston: Rep. Chris Pappas discusses run for Senate in NH
- NC - WGHP: Roy Cooper Holds Make Stuff Cost Less Event in High Point
- OH - WTVG: Sherrod Brown rallies Toledo supporters, criticizes Husted's record
- TX - CNBC: Texas Senate hopeful Talarico teams with Mark Cuban on plan to break up healthcare 'monopolies'
*TWEET OF THE WEEK:
Maeve Coyle
@maevemcoyle
Maddy McDaniel
@maddymcdaniel14
Monica Robinson
@mo_robz
Tommy Garcia
@Tommy_D_Garcia
Joe Bush
@TheJoeBush
Jackson Buttler
@jackson_buttler
Suhani Patel
@suhaniiipatel
* DROP US A LINE: press@dscc.org
* * *
Original text here: https://www.dscc.org/article/dscc-friday-takeaways-the-price-is-wrong-paxtons-ruff-record-hin-surance-policy-rogers-scandal-in-sandals-and-sununus-fowl-play/
* * *
DSCC FRIDAY TAKEAWAYS: The Price is WRONG, Paxton's Ruff Record, Hin-surance Policy, and Sununu's Fowl Play
TGIF. Welcome back to Friday Takeaways from the DSCC - your weekly update from the DSCC Press Team on what you need to know across the Senate battlegrounds. There are 67 days until the midterms. DROP US A LINE: press@dscc.org.
* THE PRICE IS...WRONG: After serving as a rubber stamp for Trump's chaotic tariff policies, Republicans in states "at the ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee posted the following news wrap up entitled "DSCC Friday Takeaways": * * * DSCC FRIDAY TAKEAWAYS: The Price is WRONG, Paxton's Ruff Record, Hin-surance Policy, and Sununu's Fowl Play TGIF. Welcome back to Friday Takeaways from the DSCC - your weekly update from the DSCC Press Team on what you need to know across the Senate battlegrounds. There are 67 days until the midterms. DROP US A LINE: press@dscc.org. * THE PRICE IS...WRONG: After serving as a rubber stamp for Trump's chaotic tariff policies, Republicans in states "at theforefront of the midterm battleground map" are likely going to face major "political consequences" as a new round of reckless, price-hiking tariffs begins. Analysts are warning that Republicans' "control of the Senate may be a casualty" of the latest tariffs, which will likely have an "outsized effect" in a number of states that "could determine the Senate majority next year." Even Bob Barker would've called that overbid.
- COME ON DOWN! (IN THE POLLS): GOP Senate candidates are "in a precarious position" as Democrats "see opportunities to further expand the Senate map." These latest "political headaches" are "making life harder for [...] Senate Republican candidates" and come as GOP Senators admit that they "don't have a positive message" and are preparing to "suffer the consequences in November."
- MEET THE CONTESTANTS: GOP Senate candidates across key battleground states have vowed support for and even voted to uphold the chaotic, price-spiking tariffs:
= IN ALASKA: Dan Sullivan supports and is "totally okay with" the GOP's price-spiking tariffs, voting in favor of them multiple times and even backing legislation to make them "stronger from a legal perspective."
= IN GEORGIA: Mike Collins supports the GOP's price-spiking tariffs, voting in favor of them multiple times and arguing that "our economy is better off because of them."
= IN IOWA: Ashley Hinson supports the GOP's price-spiking tariffs, voting in favor of them multiple times and continuing to defend them after the Supreme Court struck them down.
= IN MAINE: Susan Collins has argued that her post as chair of "the most powerful committee in Congress" would help her "shape the fiscal priorities of our country," but has refused to use her power as Appropriations chair to stop Trump's tariffs and even voted against an attempt to prevent the tariffs from increasing grocery prices.
= IN MICHIGAN: Mike Rogers supports the GOP's price-spiking tariffs, calling them a "masterful" decision and an "absolute win." Rogers said people needed to have a "little bit of patience" for tariffs to "work."
= IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: John E. Sununu supports the GOP's price-spiking tariffs, claiming tariffs were "important" and would have a "very modest" economic impact.
= IN NORTH CAROLINA: Michael Whatley "wholeheartedly" supports the GOP's price-spiking tariffs, claiming they would "ultimately" be good for North Carolina.
= IN OHIO: Jon Husted supports the GOP's price-spiking tariffs, voted in favor of them multiple times, and said they were giving Ohio businesses "a great boost."
= IN TEXAS: Ken Paxton "fully supports" the GOP's price-spiking tariffs, calling them a "bold action."
- GOP DENIED: "Democrats scored a legal victory" Tuesday after a federal appeals court held that political party committees and joint fundraising committees are not entitled to the lowest unit advertising rates reserved for candidates.
- BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME! Now, reporting highlights how Democratic Senate candidates repeatedly "outraising Republicans in key races" remains a major campaign advantage in the midterm spending fight - an advantage Republicans sought to cut down by rigging the rules in their favor when they brought their original case to strike down the coordinated party spending limits all the way up to the Supreme Court.
- TRUMP COUNTRY... NO LONGER: The latest blow to Republicans comes in the same week wall-to-wall coverage is highlighting how Democrats have "opened up more than one path to winning control of the Senate" with a "sprawling" map that stretches "deep into Trump country" and are feeling "as confident as they ever have been during this cycle" about regaining control of the "increasingly up for grabs" chamber.
= PRICES UP, POLLS DOWN: Meanwhile, "Republicans are nervous" and "concede their candidates are facing a difficult environment" as voters roundly reject the toxic GOP agenda that has "driven increases in the costs of fuel, food and health services, putting Republicans on the defensive in states they once saw as much safer terrain."
= SUMMER SLUMP: Now, with GOP Senate candidates "embroiled in unsavory scandals," "individual Democratic Senate candidates are handily out-raising their Republican opponents" and "lead in most battleground state polls," while "Republicans are spending the summer defending territory they typically don't worry about."
* WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:
- NBC News' RYAN NOBLES: The Democrats right now feel as confident as they ever have been during this cycle about their - at least potential - opportunity to win back the Senate. [...] The results in Alaska during this last primary were as good as they could possibly be with Mary Peltola. They have very encouraging signs in Iowa; obviously the situation in Texas looks encouraging to them.
- NBC News' JOHN HEILEMANN: You have a situation [in Texas], as we've said 100 times, a uniquely bad, disliked, corrupt Republican nominee against a maybe a generational Democratic talent in James Talarico, [...], someone who does not look like a lot of the Democrats that have run in Texas over the past 20, 30 years. And it could be this could be the year.
- THE FUTURE IS... BLUE: Race raters at Sabato's Crystal Ball have shifted the Texas Senate race to a toss-up, as James Talarico posts "regular polling leads," suggesting that he "might be better positioned now than O'Rourke was at this point in 2018." Didn't even need the crystal ball for this one.
= GOP OUTLOOK - NOT SO GOOD: GOP strategists are "hardly enthusiastic" as corrupt Ken Paxton does "little to dispel the concerns some in his party had long harbored" about his candidacy. Now, "Paxton's favorability has been underwater in nearly every survey, and he's underperforming his own party's base support in several polls."
= IF PAST IS PROLOGUE... This comes less than one week after race raters at the Cook Political Report shifted the Texas and Iowa Senate races to Toss-Ups - making "the overall battle for the Senate [...] a tossup."
- PITS OF SCANDAL: Scandal-plagued Georgia GOP Senate Candidate Mike Collins faced yet another round of controversies this week related to his ties to white nationalists and an ongoing ethics investigation into his misuse of taxpayer dollars...
= "STONEWALLING AND OBSTRUCTING": First - Senator Ossoff held a press conference where he demanded that Mike Collins explain to Georgia voters why he has refused to answer questions, refused to testify, and obstructed the Office of Congressional Conduct's ongoing ethics investigation into his misuse of taxpayer dollars by allowing his former chief of staff, who had been convicted of criminal battery, to illegally funnel thousands of federal tax dollars to his girlfriend, who did no work for the office.
= WILL HE OR WON'T HE? The Ossoff campaign also released a new video, "Mike Collins: Will you testify?" to slam him for his failure to cooperate with the ethics investigation:
="DISGRACEFUL AND DISQUALIFYING": Later in the week at an event in Macon, Ossoff again called on Collins to release every email, every text message, every Signal message, and every other communication between Collins' office and notorious white supremacists following yet another new alarming report about Collins' ties to white nationalists, including a former staffer who has been uplifting Nazi imagery and depicting himself in a costume of the Ku Klux Klan as recently as June and July.
- Here's some of what Sen. Ossoff had to say on Collins' latest scandals:
= OSSOFF on Collins' refusal to cooperate with the ongoing ethics investigation into his misuse of taxpayer funds: "As you're all aware, Congressman Mike Collins is under federal investigation for the illegal misuse of tax dollars. What you may not be aware of, is that, according to the Office of Congressional Conduct, Congressman Collins has been stonewalling, and obstructing, and refusing to cooperate with the investigation of this wrongdoing."
= OSSOFF on the latest revelations about Collins' ties to white nationalists and neo-Nazis: "One of the congressman's staffers posting swastikas online and depicting himself in the costume of the Ku Klux Klan. Disgraceful--disgraceful, and disqualifying. Yet another week, yet another scandal for the bigot Congressman Mike Collins and his collapsing Senate campaign. Mike Collins needs to hold a press conference this afternoon, and he needs to release all of the communications that he continues to hide between his office and these white supremacists."
- IT HASN'T STOPPED: Now, Georgians are taking notice - a new column in the AJC highlighted how Collins's neo-Nazi propagandist son-in-law David Alan Scheer is CONTINUING to film and post "white nationalist and antisemitic" content from GOP U.S. Senate nominee Mike Collins' own backyard.
= AJC's PATRICIA MURPHY: "But the problem for Collins is that the hate he says he condemns is coming from his own backyard [...] And it hasn't stopped."
- HIN-SURANCE POLICY: Bombshell new reporting from NOTUS revealed this week that Ashley Hinson's husband helped his insurance industry lobbying group "arrange meetings with Hinson and other Iowa congressional delegation members," according to breaking new reporting from NOTUS. Per the report, a top insurance lobby executive even "credited [Hinson's husband] for helping them gain access to Hinson and other Iowa lawmakers."
= PRE-EXISTING CONDITION: Reporting notes that Hinson and her husband have "deep ties to the insurance industry" given his history as a "longtime insurance executive" who owns "millions worth of interest in a private equity-backed brokerage." The arrangement is raising serious ethics concerns, with independent watchdog observers saying that his position "blurs the line" between business interests and public office - while the insurance lobbying group's PAC has poured nearly $70,000 to Hinson's campaign and affiliated PACs.
= 0 FOR 6: And it's because of this exact shady, self-serving behavior that Iowans are abandoning Hinson. According to a new report from the Washington Examiner, Hinson won zero of the six self-identified independent Iowa voters in their recent focus group... The top concern for every independent voter was tariffs and the cost of living, which Hinson has made worse by voting four times to continue tariffs and six times to continue the war in Iran - both of which are spiking gas and grocery costs.
= ONE PARTICIPANT SAYS... Don, a 68-year-old Independent voter from Chariton, specifically called out Hinson for "not doing anything for the tariffs" and "cutting Medicare and Medicaid," as 842 healthcare facilities have closed in Iowa since Hinson has been in Congress.
- PAXTON'S RUFF RECORD: This week, America celebrated National Dog Day... at least everyone in America except anti-puppy Ken Paxton, who was just exposed for burying the record of hundreds of tortured puppies in research labs, concealing alleged animal abuse from public records requests. Paxton was one of only 15 Republicans to vote against a bill that made animal abusers, instead of taxpayers and shelters, pay for the cost of housing for the animals they had abused.
= "INFLEXIBLE ACOLYTE" KEN PAXTON: Being anti-puppy is apparently not very popular with voters... The Houston Chronicle is out with scathing new analysis on how Paxton's failing campaign has been a disaster, with him fumbling on opportunities to "present himself as something besides an inflexible acolyte" on key Texas issues. From saying he wanted limits on IVF and dodging questions on Texas' THC ban, it's clear that Paxton's campaign grows weaker every passing day.
= CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: And not even Republicans want to stick their neck out for Paxton... Last Sunday on Meet the Press, NRSC Chair Tim Scott repeatedly refused to defend him and dodged when asked if he believes Paxton has the character to serve in the U.S. Senate...
= CORN-FESSION: Meanwhile, Paxton's defeated primary opponent John Cornyn slammed him in a recent Texas Tribune interview, saying Paxton is a "poor campaigner," who is "lazy and doesn't raise money" and is "not offering a very compelling case for his election." Could not have said it better ourselves.
- MIKE'S MASTERFUL MATH: Up in Michigan - which borders Canada and is likely to be hit harder by the GOP's latest round of tariffs than any other state - Michiganders are reading all about how Price Hike Mike Rogers has "stood by the Trump administration's policies, including on tariffs" and repeatedly dismissed their concerns about tariff price hikes. This includes calling them "masterful" and falsely claiming they'd yield "$2,000 dividend checks" (???) for Michiganders...
MIKE DROP: There's just one thing missing from those stories, though - any comment from Rogers, who's refusing to speak out against Trump as he starts another trade war with Michigan's largest trading partner. Rogers' no-comment list now includes:
+ Michigan Advance: "Mike Rogers, has stood by the Trump administration's policies, including on tariffs, throughout his campaign, and has not commented to multiple reporters on the most recent round of tariffs. A spokesperson for Rogers' campaign didn't provide a direct comment on the new tariffs [...]"
= Politico: "Campaign representatives for [...] former Rep. Mike Rogers, who is the GOP Senate nominee in Michigan, did not respond to requests for comment about the Canada tariffs."
= Semafor: "A spokesperson for Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers pointed Semafor to previous comments he made about negotiating with Canada and preventing Chinese auto imports."
= ABC: "Rogers' campaign declined to comment on the new round of tariffs on Canada -- instead pointing to his past comments on increasing U.S. manufacturing."
= NBC: "His campaign didn't say how Rogers would vote on Senate resolutions to revoke Trump's tariffs on Canada."
= WDIV: "So far Republican candidates John James and Mike Rogers have not weighed in on the tariffs on their social media accounts. We've reached out to each campaign for comment."
- DIDN'T LEAVE HIS FLIP-FLOPS IN FLORIDA: After spending months urging data center development in Michigan, dismissing residents' concerns about environmental impacts, and predicting communities might ask for multiple data centers - Rogers flip-flopped last week the moment the issue turned toxic with voters. What a coincidence...
- A SCANDAL IN SANDALS: Despite promoting data centers as recently as late July, Rogers' flip-flop came just days after the NRSC sent out a memo warning that anger over data centers was an "anchor hanging around [GOP candidates'] neck[s]." It also landed the same week a new report revealed Rogers holds "millions in tech investments that could benefit from the data center boom," even as he backed policies to fast-track their development in Michigan...
- WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER: This week, the President of Social Security Works PAC presented Dan Sullivan with a "Roadblock to Social Security" Award across the street from the Anchorage Social Security Administration building... This award recognizes Sullivan's long record of attempting to BLOCK Alaskans from receiving their hard-earned Social Security benefits, including proposing to raise the retirement age and voting to create a "back door for privatizing Social Security." WATCH:
= President of Social Security Works PAC JON "BOWZER" BAUMAN: "Sullivan has undermined Social Security and jeopardized the retirement benefits Alaskans have paid into for their entire lives, and most egregiously, he has continually proposed raising the retirement age. We at Social Security Works hope that Dan Sullivan can find a good spot on his desk for this because he only has a few months more to enjoy it before Alaskans elect Mary Peltola as their next senator."
= 3,000 AND COUNTING: But it's not just Social Security that Sullivan has gone after in the Senate - the Anchorage Daily News this week highlighted just how much Sullivan's healthcare crisis is increasingly costing his constituents... Some insurers in Alaska are now looking to raise rates "by more than 26%" as cuts to Medicaid spending increase the number of uninsured Alaskans - adding to the nearly 3,000 Alaskans who have already dropped their healthcare coverage through the individual marketplace...
= STILL HUNGRY? Don't worry, though... While Alaskans lose health care and contend with Sullivan-backed cuts to Social Security, he "hasn't lost his appetite due to primary stress" and has blown through thousands in campaign cash at flashy DC restaurants and luxury hotels - all while Alaskans are paying nearly $5 a gallon for gas and 20% more than the rest of the country for groceries...
- OUT ON A LIMB: This week, as Trump ratchets up his trade war with Canada and threatens to exacerbate Maine's affordability crisis even further, political analysts are pointing out how the tariffs are "not helpful for Susan Collins" and "giving Democrats an upper hand" in Maine as Collins faces the "political fight of her life."
* ON THE AIRWAVES:
- Puck News' MARIANNA SOTOMAYOR: "I mean, this is giving Democrats an upper hand in an argument. Regardless of which race we're looking at, as we saw there with Troy Jackson being able to say, well, Susan Collins is a Republican. She has been voting with Republicans."
- SUSAN AND JD - BEST FRIENDS FOREVER: Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance visited Maine this week, where he praised Susan Collins as a "dear friend" who is doing an "amazing job" ... Vance said that he is working so closely with Collins that she has been to his house "half a dozen times" while he has been Vice President...
- I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU! But that wasn't the only MAGA praise shady Susan got this week - on The Charlie Kirk Show, far-right hosts Andrew Kolvet and Blake Neff praised Susan Collins, saying that "when we need her, she's there."
= ANDREW KOLVET: "Well, you know it's interesting about Susan Collins. [...] JD was campaigning for her in Maine this morning, so that's interesting, and Charlie always gave Susan Collins a pass."
= BLAKE NEFF: "Because we want the most conservative lawmakers we can get. And here's the truth with Susan Collins that when we need her, she's been there."
- SHADY SUSAN STRIKES AGAIN: And Collins' week went from bad to worse when she was implicated in a "lobbyist pay-to-play" scheme wherein her husband - former lobbyist Thomas Daffron - received a consulting fee last year from his former firm while it was taking an "enormous amount of money" to lobby Congress on behalf of those who have donated to Collins' campaign, have personal ties to her, or have business before her committee...
- MORE LIKE SILENT SUSAN: As she continues her 25-year streak of not holding a town hall and avoiding answering to Maine voters, questions are piling up about Collins' record of selling out Mainers while enriching herself, lobbyists, and big corporations, including:
= 1 What work did Collins' former lobbyist husband do for the firm, and does Collins think it's a conflict of interest given the company has clients who are her campaign donors and have business in front of her?
= 2 Senate financial disclosure rules don't require Collins to report the full sum that Daffron received... Will she share exactly how much money a lobbying firm with business in front of her committees paid her husband?
= 3 Reporting in April found that Collins, whose husband owns more than $100,000 in oil and gas stock and who voted five times against ending the Iran War, had profited almost $25,000 as gas prices soared due to Trump's war. How much cash has Collins made on her oil and gas stock? Does she think it's a conflict of interest to profit off the war?
** FOWL PLAY: John E. Sununu is currently being lit up for "chickening out" of WMUR's televised Republican primary debate, with Granite Staters calling the decision an "unforced error," and referring to Sununu as "a coward and arrogant," for his "constant pattern of being absent in the campaign" ... Even his fellow Republicans are questioning his campaign's decision - with some claiming it makes him "not qualified to be in Congress" ...
** WHATLEY VS. WHATLEY, VOL. 3: New reporting from the News & Observer reveals that Michael Whatley and NC Republicans are changing their tune on Roy Cooper's crime record. Six years ago, the NC GOP criticized Cooper for being too tough on crime just six years ago, blasting Cooper for sponsoring "draconian" legislation that pushed for stricter sentencing laws and abolishing parole for criminals serving life sentences. Now, Michael Whatley is misleading North Carolinians and changing his narrative for political gain....
- FROM THE REPORT:
= "The North Carolina Republican Party, led by Chairman Michael Whatley, accused former Gov. Roy Cooper of sponsoring 'draconian' crime bills...Since Cooper left office and began his run for U.S. Senate, Republicans have tried to rewrite the narrative on Cooper as soft on crime."
= FLIGHT RISK: Meanwhile, new reporting exposed Whatley's pricey habit of spending more than a hundred thousand dollars to travel on a private jet LINKED TO A CONVICTED FELON... Whatley has a long pattern of protecting convicted felons - from appointing child predator Harvey West, to being complicit in covering up the Epstein files...
= IT GETS WORSE? Turns out Ohio's own Jon Husted's record on nursing homes is worse than what had been previously reported... New reporting from TiffinOhio found that Husted protected abusive and neglectful nursing homes that dumped seniors at homeless shelters across Ohio... This follows previous reporting from NBC 4 Columbus showing Husted has taken "more than a million dollars from the nursing home industry, executives, and lobbyists" after he pushed for the passage of legislation that "shielded Ohio nursing homes from liability, even in wrongful death and abuse cases."
* STEUBENVILLE SPEAKS: In response, Ohioans in Steubenville gathered to slam Husted for his anti-senior record... which includes cutting seniors' health care, pushing massive cuts to Social Security and Medicare, and protecting the abusive nursing home industry.
= Former state Representative EILEEN KRUPINSKI: "Thanks to the votes Jon Husted has made, nursing homes that rely on Medicaid money will have to shut down their business. And then what happens to their employees? I don't want to see our seniors suffer by losing Medicaid. They're not going to stop with eliminating Medicaid. They're going to turn their attention to Social Security and Medicare, and I'm sorry to say that Jon Husted already has."
= Ohio senior and United Steelworkers District 1 staff representative JOHN SAUNDERS: "This town, this valley, has a lot of older people who worked in the mills, worked in aluminum, and worked in the coal mines. They're depending on those benefits. Jon Husted continues to side with the other side. We're here fighting on their behalf to preserve those benefits."
* IN THE STATES:
- AK - Daily Mail: Alaskan senator caught spending campaign funds lavishly hasn't learned as he drops $13,000 on not-yet-open DC steakhouse and checks himself into ANOTHER luxury resort ahead of tight primary
- GA - WGXA: Ossoff calls out Collins' reported 'extensive ties' to White nationalism at Macon visit
- IA - KGAN: Senate candidate Josh Turek discusses cancer rates with survivors in Cedar Rapids
- ME - Semafor: Maine Democrat Jackson goes positive in statewide ad
- MI - Semafor: Canada tariffs complicate Republicans' Senate defense
- MS - Tippah News: Thompson and Colom urge Black voters to turn out in Mississippi midterms amid redistricting fight
- NH - NBC Boston: Rep. Chris Pappas discusses run for Senate in NH
- NC - WGHP: Roy Cooper Holds Make Stuff Cost Less Event in High Point
- OH - WTVG: Sherrod Brown rallies Toledo supporters, criticizes Husted's record
- TX - CNBC: Texas Senate hopeful Talarico teams with Mark Cuban on plan to break up healthcare 'monopolies'
*TWEET OF THE WEEK:
Maeve Coyle
@maevemcoyle
Maddy McDaniel
@maddymcdaniel14
Monica Robinson
@mo_robz
Tommy Garcia
@Tommy_D_Garcia
Joe Bush
@TheJoeBush
Jackson Buttler
@jackson_buttler
Suhani Patel
@suhaniiipatel
* DROP US A LINE: press@dscc.org
* * *
Original text here: https://www.dscc.org/article/dscc-friday-takeaways-the-price-is-wrong-paxtons-ruff-record-hin-surance-policy-rogers-scandal-in-sandals-and-sununus-fowl-play/
DNC: Rising Prices Continue to Sink Consumer Sentiment in Trump's Economy
WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic National Committee posted the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026:
* * *
Rising Prices Continue to Sink Consumer Sentiment in Trump's Economy
Sentiment dropped most sharply among Republicans, older consumers, and lower- and middle-income consumers
-
According to new data released today, consumer sentiment fell 6% from last month, about 11% below a year ago, driven by continued concerns about inflation. Consumers worry that inflation will remain elevated for the foreseeable future as Donald Trump's war with Iran drags on, causing prices to skyrocket ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic National Committee posted the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026: * * * Rising Prices Continue to Sink Consumer Sentiment in Trump's Economy Sentiment dropped most sharply among Republicans, older consumers, and lower- and middle-income consumers - According to new data released today, consumer sentiment fell 6% from last month, about 11% below a year ago, driven by continued concerns about inflation. Consumers worry that inflation will remain elevated for the foreseeable future as Donald Trump's war with Iran drags on, causing prices to skyrocketon everything from gas to groceries to housing.
The average household has had to spend more than $3,800 extra since Trump took office, including $310 for groceries. The average price of a gallon of gas is $4.08 today, and the average household has already spent about $604 more on gas since Trump started his war.
Meanwhile, Trump is profiting from his war with Iran: Trump's wealth exploded by as much as $15.5 million just through stocks he owned in oil and gas companies at the end of 2025.
In response, DNC Rapid Response Director Kendall Witmer released the following statement:
"It's no wonder Americans hate Donald Trump's economy: Costs on everything from gas to groceries to healthcare have skyrocketed while the job market hollows out -- and there's no relief in sight for working families. Trump is doubling down as he ramps up his reckless trade war and his war with Iran drags on. Americans have lost hope in Trump's economy and voters are ready to put in new leadership come November."
* * *
View data here: https://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/
* * *
Original text here: https://democrats.org/new-rising-prices-continue-to-sink-consumer-sentiment-in-trumps-economy/
* * *
Rising Prices Continue to Sink Consumer Sentiment in Trump's Economy
Sentiment dropped most sharply among Republicans, older consumers, and lower- and middle-income consumers
-
According to new data released today, consumer sentiment fell 6% from last month, about 11% below a year ago, driven by continued concerns about inflation. Consumers worry that inflation will remain elevated for the foreseeable future as Donald Trump's war with Iran drags on, causing prices to skyrocket ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, Aug. 29 -- The Democratic National Committee posted the following news release on Aug. 28, 2026: * * * Rising Prices Continue to Sink Consumer Sentiment in Trump's Economy Sentiment dropped most sharply among Republicans, older consumers, and lower- and middle-income consumers - According to new data released today, consumer sentiment fell 6% from last month, about 11% below a year ago, driven by continued concerns about inflation. Consumers worry that inflation will remain elevated for the foreseeable future as Donald Trump's war with Iran drags on, causing prices to skyrocketon everything from gas to groceries to housing.
The average household has had to spend more than $3,800 extra since Trump took office, including $310 for groceries. The average price of a gallon of gas is $4.08 today, and the average household has already spent about $604 more on gas since Trump started his war.
Meanwhile, Trump is profiting from his war with Iran: Trump's wealth exploded by as much as $15.5 million just through stocks he owned in oil and gas companies at the end of 2025.
In response, DNC Rapid Response Director Kendall Witmer released the following statement:
"It's no wonder Americans hate Donald Trump's economy: Costs on everything from gas to groceries to healthcare have skyrocketed while the job market hollows out -- and there's no relief in sight for working families. Trump is doubling down as he ramps up his reckless trade war and his war with Iran drags on. Americans have lost hope in Trump's economy and voters are ready to put in new leadership come November."
* * *
View data here: https://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/
* * *
Original text here: https://democrats.org/new-rising-prices-continue-to-sink-consumer-sentiment-in-trumps-economy/