Real talk: the vibe check on the economy is officially broken. While everyone and their grandma is out here saying the cost of living is the main character of our current political drama, a fresh POLITICO Poll shows that President Donald Trump’s MAGA base is seeing things through a completely different lens.
The divide is real
According to the data, only 28% of self-identified MAGA voters feel like life has become less affordable since Trump took office. In fact, many of them are lowkey convinced things are actually improving. This is a massive disconnect from the rest of the country, including people who voted for Harris and even folks who voted for Trump but don't identify with the MAGA movement.
What this means for you
This split is creating a major headache for the GOP. While MAGA voters are sticking by the president, "non-MAGA" Trump supporters are feeling the heat. Over half of those non-MAGA Trump voters say the current cost of living is the "worst" they’ve ever seen.
Why does this matter for your ballot? Because these disillusioned voters are hitting the breaks—nearly half of those struggling non-MAGA Trump supporters say they’re either done with the GOP or are still undecided. Meanwhile, the Democrats are leaning into this frustration, hoping to turn those economic woes into a W this November.
It’s giving… partisan memory?
The poll also found that your politics lowkey dictate your memory of the economy. When asked about specific calendar years, both sides agree on the vibes. But as soon as you attach a presidential administration to the question, the answers go totally off-rails. Voters are way more likely to say life was cheaper when their team was in power, regardless of what the actual budget data says.
Why it matters
If nobody can agree on the basic reality of whether things are getting better or worse, politicians are going to have a hard time winning over anyone who isn’t already in their camp. For Gen Z specifically, the system is feeling like a total L—young voters under 25 who are struggling with prices are currently trusting Democrats over Republicans 56% to 20% to fix the mess.
