Recently, the White House has signaled a renewed focus on the economy and the issue of affordability specifically. This is good news for the country, but particularly good news for congressional Republicans whose economic agenda has been overshadowed by the Democrats’ shutdown. 

Since President Donald Trump’s return to the Oval Office, inflation and the cost of living have been stubborn issues for the White House. If anyone needed proof, the recent off-year elections provided ample evidence that the electorate continues to prioritize kitchen table issues. In the gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey, the economy was critical in defining who won, with one difference from 2024.

In that election, the Biden economy was the issue that gave Republicans the political trifecta — the White House, Senate and House of Representatives. In 2025, it was voter unhappiness with the Trump administration’s efforts to bring down the cost of living that gave Democrats a winning night Nov. 4.

Because the elections took place during the federal government shutdown, many political prognosticators expected that to be a big factor, but it was not the shutdown itself that decided the outcome. 

In fact, going into the election, a CBS national survey (Oct. 29-31) showed that Republicans in Congress and Trump fared better in their handling of the shutdown than Democrats in Congress. After the election, another CBS national survey (Nov. 13-14) showed that the country overwhelmingly believed that Republicans succeeded in their handling of the shutdown over the Democrats by a 55-6 margin.

Republicans won the battle of the shutdown but lost the November elections.

The central point of conflict during the shutdown was........

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