Affordability, Accountability, and What Voters Really Asked For
Americans went to the polls demanding change. But what exactly did they want? Lower grocery bills? A Congress willing to stand up to Donald Trump? Someone to finally hold government officials accountable? I went digging through national polling before and after the election, expecting a fairly straightforward answer. I didn’t get one.
The numbers reveal something fascinating. Nearly seven in ten supporters of Republican candidates said the future of democracy was very important to their vote. And about seven in ten voters overall thought Congress wasn’t doing enough to check presidential power. That’s a pretty clear message, isn’t it? Well, apparently everyone wants accountability until someone starts naming names. The differences between Democrats and Republicans become remarkable when voters are asked who should be investigated and what Congress should actually do. Meanwhile, both sides are sending an unmistakable message about affordability: do something about the cost of living.
So what did Americans really tell the incoming Congress? And did Democrats win a mandate that goes far beyond what Hakeem Jeffries seems willing to acknowledge? The polling tells a more complicated story than the election-night speeches, and some of the numbers may surprise you. Check out the article to see how the polls stack up.
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