John Kennedy says GOP must be honest about rising costs - Newsweek

Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana warned Sunday that the GOP cannot afford to downplay voters' concerns about affordability and the cost of living as Republicans head into the final month before the midterm elections.

Speaking on NBC News' Meet the Press, Kennedy said economic concerns are likely to dominate voters' decisions and acknowledged Republicans could face political consequences if Americans feel Washington has failed to address rising costs.

"I think the biggest issue is cost of living," Kennedy said. "I think we have to tell the American people the truth. We keep telling them not to believe their own lying checkbooks. It's not going to work."

Kennedy's warning comes as recent polling has suggested the GOP is facing growing headwinds on economic issues.

Newsweek reached out to the White House on Sunday for comment.

Kennedy's comments came after host Kristen Welker asked whether Republicans risk paying a price at the ballot box over concerns about affordability and the economy.

The Louisiana senator predicted the elections would be close but said voters remain focused on the costs they face in their everyday lives.

Kennedy argued that inflation began under former President Joe Biden before worsening amid the conflict with Iran under President Donald Trump.

Kennedy also suggested Americans' frustrations extend beyond prices.

"The American people, both sides, feel anger," he said. "If they don't feel anger, they feel deep melancholy. They feel like the Washington political leaders have let them down."

While defending Republican efforts, Kennedy also offered a measure of self-criticism.

"Some of that is our fault. We should have done more, but we've done a lot, and I've been out on the campaign trail talking about it," he said.

A recent NBC News poll found Democrats holding a 39 percent to 38 percent edge on which party voters trust more to handle the economy, the first Democratic lead on that question in the survey series since 2017.

The same survey found voters trusted Democrats more on inflation, while 55 percent said Trump's policies had hurt the economy and just 26 percent said they had helped.

Other polling has also underscored the political importance of affordability. A September Marquette Law School Poll found inflation and the cost of living ranked as the top issue for 37 percent of adults, more than twice the share who cited the broader economy.

Kennedy's comments contrasted with remarks from National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, who on Sunday dismissed polling that shows widespread dissatisfaction with the economy. Speaking on CNN's State of the Union, Hassett said he did not believe surveys showing Americans were pessimistic about economic conditions, arguing that consumer spending and retail sales painted a stronger picture.

"Ahead of an election cycle, the fact that there's possibly partisan pollsters telling us that the people are really, really depressed, it's a classic Democrat move, and I just don't buy it," Hassett said.

Meanwhile, White House spokesman Davis Ingle previously told Newsweek "the ultimate poll" was the November 5, 2024, election, when voters elected Trump to pursue what Ingle called his "popular and commonsense agenda."

Ingle pointed to the administration’s efforts to "create jobs, cool inflation, increase housing affordability" as evidence of "historic progress."

Despite that argument, recent surveys have consistently found economic concerns weighing on voters ahead of the midterms.

The economic mood has become a key concern for Republicans as Democrats seek to regain control of Congress. Multiple recent polls have shown Democrats holding advantages on the generic congressional ballot, while several election forecasters have shifted competitive House and Senate races toward Democratic candidates.

Despite signs of a difficult environment for Republicans, Kennedy suggested he remains skeptical of conventional election forecasts.

"As I've said before, here's my prediction about the elections: I will bet you a soda and a nice hat that the experts are wrong," he told Welker.

Kennedy has spent recent weeks campaigning in several states and said he expects to continue traveling through major battlegrounds, including Texas, Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina and New Hampshire.

Asked about the closely watched Texas Senate race between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico, Kennedy predicted Paxton would ultimately prevail but described the contest as an “unpopularity contest" and said it would be "very, very close."

The Louisiana senator also revived speculation about his own political future, saying he would consider a presidential campaign under certain circumstances.

"My plans right now are to run for reelection," Kennedy said. "But if I don't think I can be effective in the Senate anymore, I would consider it."

He added: "If a bunch of goobers run, and I think they're goobers, and one of the goobers might win, and I think I could do a better job, I would consider running."

Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Steve Mollman and Anthony Murray.