Latest Polls Show ‘Abject Disaster’ for Trump on Inflation Ahead of the Midterms, Says CNN Data Guru
CNN’s Jessica Dean brought on chief data analyst Harry Enten on Wednesday to discuss some of the latest polling surrounding President Donald Trump and the economy. Harry sounded the alarm for Republicans heading into the 2026 midterms on the topic of inflation, which remains the top issue for most voters.
“This is really a huge piece of why the president was elected, was to get a handle on cost of living. So how do Americans feel like he’s doing?” Dean asked to start the conversation.
“Let me just say, this is an abject disaster. Abject disaster for the president of the United States. You mentioned it, Jessica. Look, voters on Trump and inflation. He won the 2024 election because he was more trusted on inflation than Kamala Harris was, led by a margin of nine points. Look at where his net approval stands today, though, on inflation. My goodness gracious. Into the gutter we go. Underwater we go, he’s 25 points underwater,” Enten noted, adding:
My goodness, gracious. That is where the Little Mermaid is and he is matching the Little Mermaid. That’s how far underwater he is. On the issue that got him elected, he led by nine points on it last year, and now he’s 25 points underwater. As I said, this is a complete and total disaster for the president of the United States.
“So let’s look ahead to 2026 when a lot of Republicans, all the House Republicans, some senators gonna be on the ballot. What is, how is that shaping up?” Dean followed up.
“Yeah, if Republicans in Congress think that they can escape the wrath of the voters when it comes to inflation, I have a bit of a rude awakening for them. Trust which party more on inflation. You go back to the 2022 midterms, look at this, Republicans led by 13 points on which party was more trusted on inflation, look where we are now, nearly a 15-point shift in the Democrats’ direction. It’s within the margin of error, but the Democrats up by a point,” replied Enten, adding:
This just looks totally different from where we were back in 2022, when of course, Republicans took back the House. That’s what Democrats are trying to do. This time around, looking much better for them.
The bottom line is the wrath that the voters feel for Donald Trump and inflation is transferring over to House Republicans, and now Democrats, although it’s a small lead, a big difference from where we were back in October of 2022, with Democrats actually in the positive and Republicans in the negative. Very much the reverse of where we were just three years ago.
“Yeah, and so how do voters feel about inflation in terms of where it ranked? What kind of priority it is for them?” asked Dean.
“Right. So we started off this segment by saying that inflation was the reason that Donald Trump was elected. It was the most important issue for the voters back last year at this point. And look at where we are today. What is the top issue for you right now? It’s a runaway. It is inflation. It’s 34 percent compared to the economy, which is basically very similar at 16 percent, Medicare and Social Security at 14 percent,” Enten explained, concluding:
But the bottom line is voters in poll after poll after poll say that Donald Trump has taken his eye off the ball on the big issue of the day, which is inflation, and that is why Donald Trump is way underwater on this issue, and it’s why Democrats have caught up to Republicans on the all-important issue of inflation.
I can guarantee you this, Jessica, if these numbers look right now like they do, or will look on election day 2026, there is no way on God’s green earth that Republicans can hold on to the House of Representatives. These numbers, as I said, an abject disaster for Donald Trump and therefore Republicans.
“I mean, I’m no Harry Enten, but 34 is more than double 16,” Dean joked to wrap things up.
“That is a very, very large number,” Enten added.
Watch the clip above via CNN.
