Republican lawmakers are increasingly alarmed that President Trump is misreading the political landscape on the economy—the defining issue of the 2024 midterm elections. His recent refusal to sign the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a bill that passed both chambers with overwhelming support, has become the latest flashpoint. For weeks, GOP senators have urged Trump to pay closer attention to voters' anxieties over rising costs, but the president has instead doubled down on other priorities.
Trump's offhand remarks—including professing a "love" for higher inflation and admitting he's not thinking "even a little bit" about American families' finances during Iran negotiations—have left Republican candidates bracing for a tough election season. Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) recalled his own struggles with high gas prices in the 1970s, saying, "I was living literally gas tank to gas tank. We got to acknowledge those situations." Tillis emphasized that voters need to see empathy and a plan: "The American people will give you a lot of latitude if they feel like you’re empathetic and have a plan."
The war with Iran has further distracted Trump from economic messaging, according to Tillis, who argued the administration must do more to communicate its focus on cost-of-living issues. "They need to make it a priority and stay focused," he said. But GOP leaders have struggled to steer Trump toward touting his economic record from last year. Instead, the president is consumed by internal party feuds and pushing the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE America) Act, a bill with virtually no path to enactment.
The tension boiled over last week when Trump abruptly canceled a signing ceremony for the housing bill—a move that caught Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and other lawmakers off guard. Trump insisted he wouldn't sign it until Congress passed the SAVE Act, a demand that Republican senators warned would hurt their candidates. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) noted dryly, "We do have midterm elections coming up here." According to Punchbowl News, Trump dismissed the GOP outcry, telling Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) that "no one gives a [expletive] about housing."
Internal polling has deepened the worry. One GOP senator, speaking on condition of anonymity, said voters' perceptions of Trump's economic handling are "not great," with independents shifting significantly toward Democrats. The lawmaker added that negative views "accelerated" after Trump launched military strikes against Iran, which led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Gas prices jumped $1.50 per gallon, and fertilizer costs spiked. "People feel their priorities are not important," the senator said.
Ron Bonjean, a GOP strategist and former Senate leadership aide, said Trump's focus on Iran and the SAVE Act clashes with voter concerns. "His priorities are dealing with national security and voter integrity, and the voters' biggest concerns are the economy. They aren't syncing up," Bonjean said. A Fox News poll of 1,002 registered voters found 59% pessimistic about the economy—up 4 points from a year ago—and 44% saying they're falling behind financially, an 8-point increase. A PBS/NPR/Marist poll showed only 33% approve of Trump's handling of the economy, his lowest mark since 2019.
The disconnect was stark at a tense meeting last month with acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, where senators panned a proposed $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund to compensate MAGA allies. A senior GOP aide said Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.), chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, warned colleagues that polling is "bad" and that Trump is "losing ground among all groups." Scott described the fund as the political equivalent of "throwing an anvil to a drowning man."
As the midterms loom, the GOP finds itself caught between a president pursuing his own agenda and a restless electorate demanding economic relief. With gas prices high, inflation stubborn, and the housing crisis unresolved, the party's fate may hinge on whether Trump can realign with voters—or whether his priorities will drag down the entire ticket.
