With the midterms fast approaching, Republicans are dialing in on a focused strategy to re-energize swing voters and the millions of Donald Trump supporters who tend to sit out off-year elections.
Those voters powered major Republican victories in the past, and if they show up again, they could be the deciding force in keeping the GOP’s Senate majority intact:
That message centers on the economy and cost of living, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) says new polling, exclusively provided to Townhall, shows a clear path to rebuilding a winning coalition after President Trump’s 2024 win.
That polling shows the cost of living is the overwhelming issue driving the midterms, with 92 percent of swing voters and 85 percent of infrequent Trump voters concerned about it. Of the cost-of-living issues, three major areas stand out: prescription drug prices, housing costs, and Social Security taxes.
Majorities in both groups say they are more likely to support candidates who “crack down” on Big Pharma to stop skyrocketing drug costs, prohibit investment firms and large corporations from purchasing residential housing and driving up costs, and eliminate taxes on Social Security.
The economic impact of illegal immigration is also a motivating issue, with a majority of voters in both groups saying that Americans shouldn’t be footing the bill for free housing, medical care, and education for illegal immigrants.
Voters are increasingly backing candidates who prioritize skilled trades—plumbers, HVAC technicians, carpenters, and electricians—and push to protect American jobs from being replaced by artificial intelligence or undercut by foreign competition, particularly from China. There is also growing support for bringing trade education back into schools, with many voters recognizing that expanding the skilled workforce could help ease housing shortages and lower costs.
Republicans are leaning into that message while also using Tax Day to promote their “Working Families Tax Cut” proposal. It’s a clear, kitchen-table issue: putting more money directly back into Americans’ pockets. Polling shows strong support when the plan is framed as an extra $250 per month—or $3,000 a year—in take-home pay.
Senator @ChuckGrassley: Working Families Tax Cuts Law Puts Money Back in People’s Pockets https://t.co/8w0VKLqhj3
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 14, 2026
Democrats, of course, are trying to steal the Republicans’ message, but it’s easy to refute as election year BS: Nearly to a member, they all voted against the Big Beautiful Bill and its tax cuts, and one of their favorite late-night lunatic hosts just insulted plumbers.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) wrote in the Iowa Field Report:
The good news is that the Republican-led Working Families Tax Cuts law is delivering a much-needed boost to local manufacturers and businesses. The tax law locks in a 20% tax deduction for small business owners and doubles the small business expensing limit. This allows companies to write off the full cost of new equipment and technology in the first year. That means more money available to invest in the local workforce – from child care to higher wages and employee training – and improved cash flow helps fuel product development and business expansion.
The Republican Congress passed the Working Families Tax Cuts law to put more hard-earned money where it belongs: in people’s pockets. Iowans are better stewards of their own money to save, invest and spend on their families, farms and businesses. Now, Iowans have more money in their pockets thanks to Republicans. Make no mistake: Democrats have an insatiable appetite for federal spending and raising your taxes, which is why every single Democrat voted against this historic law. Iowans can’t afford to forget that on Election Day.
With inflation and the cost of living dominating voter concerns, that kind of monthly impact resonates. It connects directly to the realities families are dealing with every day—rent, groceries, utilities, and healthcare—and reinforces a broader message that economic relief should start with letting Americans keep more of what they earn.
It’s also an issue Democrats can’t reasonably steal.
