Opinion

DAVID MARCUS: On the ground in Middle America, four issues will decide the senate, and none are affordability

Fraud in Minnesota, growth in Ohio and Michigan, and culture in Texas are driving voters more than cost of living

By David Marcus Fox News

Published October 13, 2026 4:36pm EDT

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Voters sound off on top issues with midterms on the horizon

'The Faulkner Focus' hosts a panel of Republican, Democratic and Independent voters to discuss the top issues shaping the midterm elections, including the economy, inflation and conflict in the Middle East.

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For nearly a year now, the assumption from the chattering classes has been that the 2026 midterm election will be decided on the issue of affordability, but on the ground, in the mid-American states that will decide control of the senate, it is local issues that dominate, not the vague, overarching question of prices.

Part of the problem with nationalizing the affordability issue is that it originated in New York City with the campaign of current socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani. But Gotham is a unique case that is always very expensive. The last time Manhattan was affordable was when the Dutch bought it from the Indians.

In the middle of the country, including Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, and Texas, all of which this column has visited in the past month, the economy is a major issue, as polls indicate, but it is not the same existential crisis that it was for voters we spoke with in 2022 or 2024.

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