Economic Pressure and Political Voice

Executive Summary

In partnership with Voto Latino Foundation, Murmuration surveyed 7,765 adults in the United States, including 2,128 Hispanic/Latino adults, to explore what Americans want from the government ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, including the economic pressures they experience in everyday life, their priorities for Congress, frustrations with government, reasons for political disengagement, and the kinds of policies and messages that make participation feel more meaningful.

We found that Americans are heading to the ballot box with the cost of everyday living at the center of their concerns. Nearly six in ten say lowering the cost of living should be a top priority for the next Congress, and when asked what frustrates them most in their own lives, the cost of everyday necessities ranks first. But the findings suggest that the affordability crisis is shaping more than people's policy preferences. It is connected to how they experience government, what they expect politics to accomplish, and whether participation feels worthwhile.

For people working to strengthen participation, increasing civic engagement may require more than reminding people that voting is important. It likely requires rebuilding the connection between people's everyday problems, their belief that institutions understand those problems, and their confidence that participation can produce meaningful results.