About eight in 10 registered voters say lowering the cost of living should rank among the next Congress’ highest priorities. That’s the headline finding of a new AP-NORC poll, and voters across party lines agree.
Roughly seven in 10 also want ending the war in Iran to be a top focus. Political combat draws less support: about four in 10 want Congress to prioritize investigating the Trump administration, while only about two in 10 want the president’s agenda at the front of the line.
What Voters Actually Want
The numbers point to an electorate more interested in kitchen-table results than partisan scorekeeping. About half of voters want Congress to reduce the budget deficit and find common ground between the parties. About four in 10 want new laws regulating artificial intelligence. About three in 10 prioritize ending military aid to Israel.
Even among Democrats, oversight ranks behind the economy. About six in 10 Democrats called investigating the Trump administration one of their highest priorities, but lowering costs and ending the Iran conflict ranked higher.
Arthur Brown, a 71-year-old Democrat in Magee, Mississippi, put it plainly. He wants the next Congress to strengthen the economy and lower prices, and feels less urgency about holding Trump accountable because only two years would remain in Trump’s term. “They should just focus on, you know, trying to tackle these problems,” Brown said. “Eventually down the road, justice will come.”
Justin Campbell, a 31-year-old Democrat from Brookhaven, Mississippi, framed his priorities around his own pocketbook. “I’m not a millionaire and probably won’t ever be. I prefer policy that helps me instead of someone I’ll never be,” he said.
A Divide on the Left
The poll found a split inside the Democratic coalition. About three-quarters of Democratic voters who identified as supporters of democratic socialism said investigating the Trump administration should be a top priority. Slightly less than half of Democrats who didn’t identify as democratic socialists agreed.
Democratic socialists were also more likely to want Congress to end military aid to Israel and less likely to prioritize finding common ground. Campbell, who identified as a democratic socialist, said: “It feels a little cliche to just say roll back the past two years, but honestly, mostly just roll back the stuff he’s done the past two years.”
House Democrats have begun planning a 100-day agenda in case they win control of Congress in November. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said Democratic priorities include making life more affordable and conducting extensive oversight of the Trump administration. The poll suggests the second item polls well below the first, even among the party’s own voters.
Republicans Want a Budget Plan
Among Republicans, the fiscal message came through clearly. At least half of MAGA and non-MAGA Republicans wanted Congress to lower costs, end the Iran war and reduce the federal budget deficit.
The two groups differ on loyalty. About six in 10 MAGA Republicans wanted Congress to prioritize Trump’s agenda, compared with about two in 10 Republicans who didn’t support MAGA.
Richard Longo, a 74-year-old Republican in Lake Forest, California, wanted the president’s agenda pursued but worried most about balancing the budget. “You’re not going to balance the budget in one year, but you have to have a plan,” he said.
Lisa Ostlund, a 46-year-old MAGA supporter from Wayland, Massachusetts, wanted Congress to prioritize Trump’s agenda. She said she doesn’t support everything Trump does, but credited his policies with helping her find housing after years of struggling with homelessness. “You got to care about your American people,” Ostlund said. “He definitely doesn’t say it right, but you do have to put them first.”
Moderates in both parties were more likely than voters on their parties’ left and right wings to want Democrats and Republicans to find common ground.
The Poll
The AP-NORC poll surveyed 1,119 adults from Oct. 8-12 using NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, designed to represent the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall was plus or minus 3.9 percentage points. Linley Sanders, an Associated Press polls and surveys analyst, and Mike Catalini, a national politics reporter based in Pennsylvania, wrote the report.
Why This Matters:
With the election that will determine the next Congress scheduled for November, the poll gives both parties a message they may find inconvenient. Voters in both camps rank the cost of living, the Iran war and the deficit above investigations or loyalty to a president. For Democrats weighing a 100-day agenda, the numbers suggest oversight ranks well behind affordability, even among their own base. For Republicans, the fact that at least half of both MAGA and non-MAGA voters want the deficit reduced signals that fiscal discipline remains a shared demand. Whichever party wins, voters expect results on prices and spending, and an agenda built mainly around the other side may not match what they asked for.
- ap-norc poll
- u.s. congress
- cost of living
- iran war
- donald trump
- budget deficit
- artificial intelligence
- hakeem jeffries