The Midterms: It's Not About 'Affordability' -- It's About Trump Hatred
Larry Elder
No, the midterms will not turn on the issue of "affordability." If affordability truly were decisive, Republicans would easily retain the House and the Senate.
Consider the economic backdrop. Gas prices are at a five-year low, with gas stations in several states selling a gallon of regular for under $2. Several times since Trump's reelection, the stock market indexes have recorded all-time highs. GDP growth hit 4.3% in the third quarter of 2025. Wage growth is exceeding inflation, but as always, some benefit more than others. Inflation itself is under 3% and trending lower. Egg prices have fallen dramatically. Mortgage rates have declined to the lowest level in three years. Trillions of dollars in foreign investment commitments have been announced. The effects of the One Big Beautiful Bill -- no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, tax relief for seniors on Social Security and immediate expensing of business equipment purchases -- have barely begun to register. All of this suggests, despite the headlines of despair, that the economy is poised to take off.
If voters were focused primarily on affordability, these conditions would be politically devastating for Democrats.
But that's not what this election is about.
The midterms will turn on one question only: Is Trump hatred -- among Democrats, Hollywood, much of the media and academia -- so deeply rooted that President Donald Trump gets credit for nothing?
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https://townhall.com/columnists/larryelder/2026/01/22/the-midterms-its-not-about-affordability-its-about-trump-hatred-n2669860
