A recent survey from Morning Consult/Politico found that 71% of Americans are “very concerned” about inflation, representing a 5% jump from August. It’s something House Speaker Nancy Pelosi seems reluctant to discuss.
The Hill reported that during an appearance this past weekend on CBS News’ “Face the Nation”, Pelosi insisted that Democrats “have to change that subject.”
Pelosi says that “the fight is not about inflation”
“We feel very confident,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi tells @margbrennan on Democrats’ chances heading into the November midterm elections.
“I see very clearly that the ownership of the ground is with us. It’s about getting out the vote.” pic.twitter.com/LKP6QeIm8d
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) October 23, 2022
“When I hear people talking about inflation…We have to change that subject. Inflation is a global phenomenon,” the House speaker declared on Sunday.
“The EU, the European Union, the UK, the British–have a higher inflation rate than we do here,” Pelosi went on to say, insisting, “The fight is not about inflation–it’s about the cost of living.”
“And if you look at what we have done, to bring down the cost of prescription drugs, to bring down the cost of energy and the rest in our legislation, you will see that it has been opposed every step of the way by the Republicans.”
The longtime Democrat also told host Margaret Brennan that she is “very confident” ahead of next month’s midterm elections, saying, “I see very clearly that the ownership of the ground is with us. It’s about getting out the vote.”
Poll shows Republicans are ahead of Democrats on inflation and gas prices
Yet despite Pelosi’s words of confidence, polling data suggests many voters do not believe her party is able to address their concerns.
An ABC News/Ipsos poll carried out between October 21 to October 22 reported that 38% of registered voters believe Republicans are better equipped to handle inflation versus 21% who say the same of Democrats.
Meanwhile, the survey told a similar story with respect to gas prices: 38% of registered voters think Republicans are more capable of dealing with the price of fuel whereas 21% believe Democrats are better positioned on the issue.
Voters also leaned more toward Republicans than Democrats when asked about crime, immigration, and taxes as well.
Meanwhile, a polling aggregate published by RealClearPolitics shows Republicans leading Democrats by three points on the House generic ballot.