US 2026 midterms: it’s the economy stupid!

US voters delivered a sweeping setback to Donald Trump’s Republicans in the 2026 midterms, with Democrats holding key battlegrounds and flipping several traditionally Republican states. The article argues that frustration with inflation and rising living costs outweighed voters’ reservations about some Democratic candidates, weakening Trump’s standing and reopening debate within his party over economic policy.

At least five states that backed Trump by double digits in 2024 swung towards Democrats, with Kansas and Texas among the gains; Alaska and Mississippi could bring the total to six. A Fox News exit poll found 62 per cent of voters believed Trump’s policies had raised prices, while commuting costs were reported to have climbed almost 40 per cent in a year. Florida governor Ron DeSantis said the results made it unlikely Republicans would retake Congress in 2028.