Trump's grocery promise falls short as prices pinch voters before midterms

Two years after President Donald Trump staged a grocery-laden press conference in New Jersey to highlight inflation under his predecessor, the cost of food remains a persistent political problem for his party. Prices for many staples have continued to climb, undercutting a central promise of his 2024 campaign and emerging as a key vulnerability for Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections.

A review of 26 grocery categories featured in that 2024 display shows prices have risen by 3.4% during the first 19 months of Trump's second term. While this pace is significantly slower than the inflation seen under former President Joe Biden, it falls short of Trump's pledge to lower costs. Sharp increases in items like coffee, beef, and apples have offset declines in eggs and butter.

For voters like Sheila Carney, a 68-year-old Trump supporter, the reality of higher prices is a daily burden. After spending $70 on a modest haul of groceries, she expressed frustration, saying the affordability crisis is real and that the president has not brought prices down. Carney, who has delayed retirement to help pay off her son's student loans, is among those considering sitting out the midterms, reflecting polling that shows Republicans are less enthusiastic about voting than Democrats.

Interviews with voters in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, a battleground that includes Bedminster, found that more than half of the Republicans and independents surveyed were undecided or leaning toward the Democratic challenger, Rebecca Bennett. Bennett, a military veteran, has made the cost of living a central issue, saying that high prices are not an abstract concept for her family. She has pledged to undo tariffs and restore food stamp benefits if elected.

The White House points to recent data showing consumer prices barely increased in July as evidence that inflation is under control, citing falling costs for prescription drugs and auto insurance. However, a recent poll found Trump's approval rating on handling the cost of living has plunged to -47%, his weakest issue by a wide margin.

Some voters remain supportive. Bonnie Chandler, 64, plans to vote Republican, believing companies are keeping prices high to make the president look bad. Lauren DeGirolamo, a 34-year-old Trump voter, feels prices have stabilized and that issues like education and border security are more important. Yet, for others like 84-year-old Margaret Derkach, the shock of rising costs for necessities has made her undecided, illustrating the challenge Republicans face in motivating their base this November.