With 100 days until the US midterm elections, the opinion article argues that Democrats have gained an advantage by centring their campaign message on affordability, while Republicans have not settled on an equally clear narrative. It says this matters because voters may respond more strongly to a simple story about everyday costs than to a wider set of separate policy proposals.

The article points to rising grocery and other household costs as the backdrop for Democrats’ approach, citing data that more Americans are using credit cards and other methods to pay for food. It maintains that Republicans have issues that could appeal to voters, but argues their challenge is to present them as a coherent message rather than disconnected policies.