Voters Ask for Affordability, Democrats Say 'Go Fish'

It’s October of an election year, so Republicans and Democrats alike are campaigning hard on affordability – lower utility costs, better living conditions, and cheaper groceries. But do Democrats really care about lower prices? The results speak for themselves.

Just a year ago in Virginia, Democrats appealed to voters’ understandable economic anxieties and won. As candidate for governor, Abigail Spanberger unveiled her Affordable Virginia plan, promising to "lower costs, save Virginians money, and make it easier for people who work hard to get ahead." In delivering the Democratic response to President Trump’s State of the Union address, she doubled down on that pledge, declaring her party to be “laser-focused” on affordability across the nation.

But now, with 2026 coming to a close, the results of that agenda in Virginia are clear – and damning. More than 100 days after the Virginia General Assembly adjourned, Democrat lawmakers passed a heavily rewritten budget resolution allocating over $200 million. Teachers were offered a modest three percent raise while Democrat lawmakers quietly approved a staggering 178 percent pay increase for themselves, a retail weed marketplace, $1.7 million to remove historic statues in Richmond, and $1 million to research Atlantic fish.

With priorities like these, it’s no surprise that Spanberger’s voter approval ratings are underwater. In fact, the Virginia Democrat Party’s agenda is a far cry from what voters want. A VCU poll this summer found that nearly half of Virginia voters “believe the commonwealth is headed in the wrong direction,” identifying inflation and the cost of living as the state’s top issues. This is consistent with national polling. While Spanberger is out here researching fish and releasing violent offenders, the average Virginian faces soaring rent and food prices and a lagging job market.

A recent Census Bureau report found that 46 percent of Virginians who rent were spending more than 30 percent of their income on rent, causing families across the commonwealth to lose faith in their financial outlook. Additionally, Virginia is slated to lose over 17,000 jobs in 2026, a stark contrast to the more than 263,000 jobs gained under Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin, which Spanberger attempted to take credit for. A poll from August revealed that the Virginia Index of Consumer Sentiment plummeted to 59.6 — marking a sharp 7.8-point drop since February and sinking far under the five-year average of 68.1. Virginians are reaping the economic harm of a Democrat trifecta.

This Democrat Party failure is not unique to Virginia. In New Jersey, where recently elected governor Mikie Sherrill campaigned on refusing to raise taxes, the new state budget not only levied new taxes, but increased spending by $765 million. Across the nation, blue states consistently rank as the most expensive places to raise a family. In states like New York, Massachusetts, and California, a family of four would need to earn upwards of $300,000 annually to enjoy a “living wage” and be able to save for the future.

While voters in Democrat-led states watch their savings evaporate, the Republican alternative is not just a rhetorical promise — it is a tangible, pro-family blueprint whose foundations have already been laid in Washington. Through the One Big Beautiful Bill’s (OBBB) enhanced Child Tax Credits and the creation of "Trump Accounts," Republicans are solving the affordability crisis and enabling parents to build long-term wealth. Rather than forcing non-profits and churches to repurpose their land for affordable housing units, like Virginia and Colorado, Republicans worked with President Trump to ban large institutional investors from buying up homes meant for young homeowners and families. In addition, while Democrats’ open-border policies have led to 1.7 million known illegal aliens who evaded Border Patrol living in the U.S., the Trump Administration has worked to lower housing costs for Americans by cutting off government-backed mortgages for illegal migrants.

Even in Democrat states, Republicans are actively proposing practical solutions. At the beginning of this year, New York Republicans released a comprehensive affordability report encouraging a personal income tax cut, including exemptions on tips (following the lead of the OBBB) and overtime pay, a tax credit for first-time homebuyers, and a $1,000 refundable tax credit “baby bonus” to support new parents.

Democrats, like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, instead pushed for government-subsidized grocery stores, which force out other small grocers, and broad rent freezes that destroy market incentives and depress housing supply. In New Mexico, Democrats’ efforts to “fix” childcare through state-funded universal childcare initiatives resulted in an $83 million budget shortfall. Time and again, Democrat interventions promise relief only to exacerbate fiscal instability and leave working families footing the bill.

Americans don’t want more taxes or inflation that comes with state-funded socialism. But they also want to provide for themselves and their families – in a K-shaped economy where that is becoming more and more difficult to do. Ahead of November, Republicans must remind voters that their commitment to affordability is not just a campaign slogan, but a policy imperative aimed toward restoring the financial independence of the American household. Vote Republican, and America will keep working to make life better for families. Vote Democrat, and America will learn in a hurry that things can always get much, much worse.

Catherine Hickam is a government affairs associate at American Principles Project. She graduated from Patrick Henry College in 2024.

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