Free Republic
Browse · Search
GOP Club
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Trump to POLITICO: Midterm elections will be about ‘pricing’
Politico ^ | 12/27/2025 | Sophia Cai

Posted on 01/02/2026 12:28:03 AM PST by CondoleezzaProtege

President Donald Trump says he believes the 2026 midterm elections will center on “pricing” as Republicans head into a critical period with control of Congress on the line.

Trump’s comments follow a string of favorable economic reports over the last two weeks showing inflation is cooling and the economy is hotter than expected. The White House is keen to tout the latest data as it confronts cost-of-living concerns that have underpinned a string of Democratic overperformances across the country.

Still, polls show Americans are struggling. Nearly half of respondents said they find groceries, utility bills, health care, housing and transportation difficult to afford, according to The POLITICO Poll conducted last month by Public First.

Trump’s acknowledgment that 2026 will focus on “pricing” underscores the administration’s concern that the Democrats have, for the moment, a popular message. After insisting that affordability was a Democratic “con job”, Trump over the last few weeks has repeatedly sought to reframe the issue, arguing that it was the Democrats under Biden who caused prices to increase and that he is bringing them down.

But one of the looming economic headwinds Trump faces is a possible government shutdown at the end of January.

“The filibuster is hurting the Republican Party,” Trump said, calling on GOP lawmakers to eliminate it “without question.”

Trump argued that ending the filibuster would also pave the way for other GOP priorities, including voter ID legislation. But his push puts him at odds with some Senate Republicans, including Majority Leader John Thune, who have defended the filibuster as an institutional safeguard.

(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...


TOPICS: Issues
KEYWORDS: 2026midterms; 2026wipeout; affordability; debt; deficit; inflation; pricing; tariffsaretaxes; trump
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-35 last
To: gloryblaze

Indeed


21 posted on 01/02/2026 7:37:32 AM PST by Vaduz (?.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: CondoleezzaProtege

This is all about beef prices…time to give the big 5 meat packers an ultimatum….drop your prices or we do what we did to Standard Oil.


22 posted on 01/02/2026 8:56:49 AM PST by kaktuskid
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Captainpaintball

“He doesn’t give a crap about you.”

I don’t care if he gives, or doesn’t give, a crap about me personally. I care 100% if he gives a crap about America and Americans.

I worry that he’s so focused on being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (which, BTW, never will happen) that the America First agenda has got short shrift. He needs to tend to his knittin’ and refocus on his job here.

Screw conflicts in Ukraine, Russia, Israel, etc.


23 posted on 01/02/2026 9:09:00 AM PST by MayflowerMadam ( "Trouble knocked at the door, but, hearing laughter, hurried away". - B. Franklin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: MayflowerMadam; Captainpaintball

And what do the two of you want Trump to do that he isn’t already doing? Inflation is currently at 2.7%. GDP growth last quarter was 4.3%. Jerome Powell will be out of office soon, which will be a good thing for interest rates and housing affordability, but in the mean time rates are still inching downwards. Gas prices are down considerably.

Take home pay is up simply by virtue of the Trump tax cuts, which most will be experiencing for the first time this year as withholding amounts are lowered and tax refunds start getting sent out. Beyond that, wage growth is outpacing inflation, which addresses the affordability issue from the other direction. Job growth, so far, has been modest for a variety of reasons. But the beneficiaries, for a change, have been American workers instead of illegals.

Public safety is up, crime is down, the border is closed and illegals are being removed and are self deporting. Drug prices are down. And thank God Trump can walk and chew gum at the same time because as a result, his efforts on the international front have saved lives by drastically reducing the supply of illicit drugs on our streets. This idea that “Trump’s focus on the rest of the world” has prevented him from addressing domestic issues is absurd. Trump is relentless and more than capable of addressing multiple issues at the same time.


24 posted on 01/02/2026 9:42:14 AM PST by mbrfl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: mbrfl

“And what do the two of you want Trump to do that he isn’t already doing?”

For one thing, he could order AG Barbie to do her effing job — AGAIN — or replace her.


25 posted on 01/02/2026 10:15:31 AM PST by MayflowerMadam ( "Trouble knocked at the door, but, hearing laughter, hurried away". - B. Franklin)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: MayflowerMadam

>>”For one thing, he could order AG Barbie to do her effing job — AGAIN — or replace her.”

Well I can’t argue with you about that. She and Kash have been a disappointment. But he doesn’t need to disengage with the rest of the world to do that.


26 posted on 01/02/2026 10:20:31 AM PST by mbrfl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: All

Best to slow down a bit.

Inflation per PCE (the only measure that matters) is about 3%. The latest CPI report was clearly affected by the shutdown and must necessarily be ignored. PCE is pretty pure and why it is the Fed’s preferred measure.

3% is a lot less than 9%, but it appears to be ticking up. The Fed likely will have to reverse short term rates with an uptick this year, which will cause screaming and upheaval, particularly from the President. What is not clear I suppose is if the uptick in rates happens on Powell’s way out or from the President’s hand picked replacement.

Make no mistake here, nobody, no matter how much they want the President’s approval, can stand pat with no rate increase if inflation edges towards 4 and 5%.

And no, it need have NOTHING to do with tariffs. Inflation happens for reasons no one will ever agree on, with all sorts of swaggering academic claims.

In truth, inflation happens for only one reason. The buyers are more urgent than the sellers. Everything else is more or less absurd.


27 posted on 01/02/2026 10:31:52 AM PST by Owen
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: Vaduz

if your point was that you are an idiot then congrats


28 posted on 01/02/2026 11:51:09 AM PST by wafflehouse ("there was a third possibility that we hadn't even counted upon" -Alice's Restaurant Massacree)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: wafflehouse

You abuse being an idiot more like moron now go play with your toys in the basement have mommy give you milk and cookies.


29 posted on 01/02/2026 12:03:11 PM PST by Vaduz (?.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: Captainpaintball

Mark Mitchell of Rassmussen Reports read Trump, and his team the riot act that you’re talking about a couple weeks ago. (without the anti zionist spin)

The plight of the 20-40 year olds now is well understood in the administration.


30 posted on 01/02/2026 12:08:27 PM PST by ckilmer (`61)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Vaduz

thanks for proving my point idiot


31 posted on 01/02/2026 12:11:31 PM PST by wafflehouse ("there was a third possibility that we hadn't even counted upon" -Alice's Restaurant Massacree)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Paul R.
Overall, absolute prices have slightly risen, and most people were getting killed in 2024, by high prices.

Another thing, people aren't really getting killed by the price of eggs. They're getting killed by skyrocketing utility bills thanks in large part to increased use and green energy boondoggles.

32 posted on 01/02/2026 12:37:04 PM PST by Drew68 (Concern posting since 2001.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Miami Rebel

I never listened t Fuentes, but even a broken fed cuck can bring up some valid points from time to time. As for the other two, You do not realize how foolish you look. I will bookmark this and get back to you when the time is right. And time is on my side.


33 posted on 01/02/2026 1:11:01 PM PST by Captainpaintball (America needs a Conservative DICTATOR if it hopes to survive. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: ckilmer
(without the anti zionist spin)...

But that's the whole point!

34 posted on 01/02/2026 1:12:02 PM PST by Captainpaintball (America needs a Conservative DICTATOR if it hopes to survive. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Captainpaintball

Oooooohhh! I can hardly wait for your masterstroke! It’ll be a doozy, I’m sure.

/sc


35 posted on 01/05/2026 8:03:30 AM PST by Miami Rebel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-35 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
GOP Club
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson