Inflation report is bad news for Democrats
by Alexander Bolton - 10/14/22 6:00 AM ETThursday’s report showing that inflation jumped higher than expected in September and that prices remain at a 40-year high comes at a bad time for Democrats, who are battling to hang onto their Senate majority and are expected to lose control of the House.
Democratic senators had expressed hope throughout this year that inflation would begin to subside before the election, but the last inflation report released before Election Day shows that prices remain stubbornly high.
That has fueled voters’ dissatisfaction over the direction of the country and weighed down President Biden’s approval rating, creating a stiff headwind for Democratic candidates heading into November.
Much of the conversation in Washington in recent weeks has revolved around what impact the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which struck down abortion rights, or negative media coverage of former President Trump would have on the midterm election.
But the fact remains that voters’ view of the economy and inflation is negative, and that’s not likely to change over the next three-and-a-half weeks.
“I think it’s probably going to be a good day for Republicans. I just think the inflation numbers are too bad,” said Ross K. Baker, a professor of political science at Rutgers University, of Election Day, which falls on Nov. 8.
“That’s the number that all polls seem to say that voters are paying most attention to,” he said of the inflation rate, which reached 8.2 percent last month compared to a year ago.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/3687570-inflation-report-is-bad-news-for-democrats/
