During the 2025 off-year elections in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City, Democrats outperformed expectations, suggesting that voter concerns about the national economy may have played a larger role than purely local issues. Republican candidates have also recognized affordability as a major concern and have tried to address it in their messaging. However, when voters are worried about prices, wages, and household budgets, the party in power often faces greater scrutiny. A Fox News poll found that 46 percent of voters held a negative view of Trump’s economic policies, while 15 percent believed those policies had been helpful.
