The Republican Party is looking at a potentially brutal midterm election, thanks to discontent with the high cost of living and the Iran war, among other issues. And while gas prices get a lot of attention, new reporting suggests higher-than-usual grocery prices are also bothering many voters.
The Grocery Prices Elections
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released data showing consumer prices are up 3.7 percent from a year ago, with food costs up 2.5 percent. Some specific food items were notably more expensive year over year, including fruits and vegetables (up 3.7 percent), nonalcoholic beverages and materials (up 3.8 percent), and the cereals and bakery products category (up 2.1 percent).
Social Security Check. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Social Security Check. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Trump frequently spoke about the high cost of groceries on the campaign trail two years ago, often using “the price of eggs” as shorthand for voter concerns. Eggs, ironically, have seen a marked price decline, down 31 percent from the day Trump took office, although many other food items haven’t followed suit.
The president’s ever-changing tariff policies have also sometimes caused unexpected spikes in grocery items.
This week, The New York Times traveled to four swing states and spoke with voters who voted for Trump in 2024 but have become disillusioned with the cost of living, especially for everyday essentials like groceries. In the newspaper’s interviews in Iowa, Ohio, Maine, and Michigan, many voters clearly see Trump, who ran in 2024 promising to bring down the inflation of the Biden years, as having failed to do so.
Voters Speak
Beyond frustration with grocery prices, the Times’ discussions with voters show that many are all over the map in their concerns and what motivates their vote.
“It’s too soon to say I regret it,” one man who voted for Trump in 2024 said, citing high grocery costs. “But so far, it doesn’t look good.”
One woman told the Times that she approves of how Trump is handling the economy, including his tariff policies, which are causing “short-term pain” that will prove worth it in the end.
Another woman said she was “disappointed” with the president, having voted for him in her first-ever presidential election and believing change would follow.
One Iowa man said he still trusts Republicans more on fiscal issues than Democrats, but complained that Trump did not get Congressional authorization for the war in Iran. He said he’s voting for Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson, but plans to vote for Democrat Rob Sand for governor.
One Maine woman called the war in Iran “a waste of money” and noted that the cost of living has risen in recent years, while wages haven’t kept up. She added that Trump should concentrate on “taking care of the people in your country.”
Why Groceries Are So Expensive Now
There’s a big reason why groceries and other everyday items cost so much these days. High energy prices, driven by oil supply disruptions in the Middle East, have made shipping more expensive, especially for diesel-powered trucks. In many cases, retailers have passed those costs on to consumers.
Grocery Dive, a trade publication that covers the grocery industry, wrote last month that grocery inflation was “primed to rise,” predicting that rising fuel costs could “soon start to wear down” retailers, as well as suppliers, who had held out on raising prices up until now.
The site cited an FMI briefing after grocery inflation came in at 2.2 percent in August and rose to 3.7 percent in September.
Ricky Volpe, professor of agribusiness at California Polytechnic State University, told the outlet that throughout this year, there had been “explicit efforts by food companies, retailers, manufacturers” to keep food prices down, but that those efforts were running out of time.
In September, diesel costs reached $6 per gallon, an all-time high, and they have continued to rise this month. This has even led Trump to strike a deal with Russia to import diesel, which required lifting sanctions, although experts doubt whether that move will actually deliver any price relief.
About the Author: Stephen Silver
Stephen Silver is an award-winning journalist, essayist, and film critic, and contributor to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Broad Street Review, and Splice Today. The co-founder of the Philadelphia Film Critics Circle, Stephen lives in suburban Philadelphia with his wife and two sons. For over a decade, Stephen has written thousands of articles on politics, national security, technology, and the economy. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @StephenSilver, and subscribe to his Substack newsletter.
