Polling warns of the lurking political peril…
Hey, Washington GOP: You’re asleep at the wheel on the economy. Wake up—now.
The economy is the central issue, and you’re losing it.
Producer Price Index (PPI) producer inflation just spiked 3.3%, with Core PPI having the biggest jump since March 2022, when Biden’s inflation crisis was surging to its worst levels.
Prices are still way too high, and families feel it every day, including at the grocery store. Yes, the torrid pace of Biden’s inflation has slowed, but consider these punishing realities:
-Chuck ground beef at $6.34 per pound, setting an all-time record high for each of the last 6 months
-Chicken prices are also at all-time highs
-Banana prices are setting records at $0.66 per pound on average
This erosion of buying power flows largely from an embattled U.S. dollar. Bitcoin rockets past $117,000 per Bitcoin, gold is at record highs, and the euro has a stellar 2025 vs. the Buck. It’s erosion, and voters see it and live it.
Thankfully, there is great news to tell, especially about Trump’s trade wins. Moreover, foreign investment pours into America. But guess what? No one is telling that story.
The legacy media won’t touch it. New media giants—Megyn Kelly, Joe Rogan, Tucker Carlson, Shawn Ryan, and Ben Shapiro—all have massive reach, but they don’t get economics, so they all stick to cultural issues.
Which means…voters do not hear the good news. But, they DO live the harsh reality of sticker shock at the grocery store and elsewhere.
So, it is imperative that the GOP get busy—and stop using insulting arguments like ‘it’s not as bad as under Biden.’ That loser talk sounds exactly like the Dems claiming that cities like D.C. aren’t dangerous just because the mayhem now isn’t as awful as the 2020 BLM riots!
People are angry about the economy. The GOP now owns that unrest, fair or not.
My latest polling of swing state Georgia proves this point. We surveyed nearly 3,000 registered voters in this key state, using respected pollster TIPP Insights. It was mostly good news. For example, the GOP is +2% on a generic midterm ballot. The GOP is net favorable by +3% in Georgia vs. -10% for the Democrats. The Democrat brand implodes among Peach Tree Independents, at -23%.
Voters love the GOP on security issues, from border to street crime. Georgia voters remain solidly behind President Trump’s mass deportation agenda, by a wide +19% margin, 55-36%.
But on the economy, it’s awful. The GOP gets the blame now. Only 23% of Georgia voters believe that the “Big Beautiful Bill” will help their finances. That giant homage to profligacy was great for the wealthy, but working-class people hate it. Only 33% of young voters say their economic confidence is better since the 2024 election; 62% say it is worse.
On inflation. Letter grades for the Trump Administration:
-Independents: 48% give a D/F, only 28% A/B
-Women: 48% give D/F, and they do more shopping and bill-paying.
PLAYBOOK…What Now?
- Messaging – Launch a full-on media campaign, right now. Stop coasting. Even friendly media won’t save you. Stage events on onshoring wins and immigration triumphs. Talk up wages in print and videos. Where are the economic media surrogates? Most of all, absolutely do not tell people “it’s fine,” because it clearly is not right now, not for the working masses. Explain why the trend is upward.
- Tariff Rebate Checks – President Trump floated the idea—do it now. Quarterly checks to working families. Give the middle class something they have never had before: skin in the global trade game and a seat at the table. Make trade victories personal.
- New Taxes on Remittances – Hike them, hard. Raise revenues and discourage foreign workers—encourage more “financial deportations,” as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent smartly calls such policies.
- Phase Out Worker Visas – AI is wiping out jobs right now. Stop importing millions of new legal workers. Shut it down. Prioritize Americans.
Bottom line: Americans are still angry. Still anxious. For good reason! Respect them, listen to them. You cannot “chart” them into optimism. Show them the fight, show them the path out—and prove it…with action, action, action.
Put America truly first. Or lose.
Steve Cortes is president of the League of American Workers, a populist right pro-laborer advocacy group, and senior political advisor to Catholic Vote.
He is a former senior advisor to President Trump and JD Vance, plus a former commentator for Fox News and CNN.