NPR Reports Rise of Economic Populism in Both Parties Ahead of Midterms
NPR reported Saturday that a new kind of economic populism is gaining ground in both major parties, as voters look for solutions to concerns about financial stability. The report, written by Mara Liasson, aired on NPR's Weekend Edition on October 24, 2026. Its headline asks what voters want from both parties this year.
Several recent polls shed light on how Americans view the economy and the parties. A Pew survey found that as of July, six in ten Americans said Trump's economic policies had worsened economic conditions in the country. Pew's findings were also reported by NPR in September.
On cost of living, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found that Democrats led Republicans 36% to 28% on handling the issue. Reuters reported those results on August 25, 2026.
Another Reuters/Ipsos poll, released in October, found that most Americans oppose using prediction markets, which let people bet on future events, to wager on US elections and other government actions.
The cost of the 2026 campaigns is also large. As of the week before October 19, 2026, NPR reported that $10 billion had been spent on the 2026 elections.
