Nearly two-thirds of voters have reduced household expenses amid inflation: poll

Nearly two-thirds of registered voters say that they’ve had to reduce household expenses to account for the soaring prices of necessities like gas and groceries, according to a new poll released on Wednesday.

The survey, commissioned by the Bipartisan Policy Center and conducted by Morning Consult, found that 65 percent of voters say they have had to cut down on spending because of the increased cost of gas.

A similar percentage — 63 percent — said that they’ve had to reduce household spending as a result of rising grocery prices, while more than one-third — 37 percent — said that utility costs were prompting them to reel in their personal spending, according to the poll.

The findings are the latest to suggest that high inflation — and fears that prices could spike even more — are prompting cutbacks among voters in a year when Democrats are fighting to hold onto their paper-thin majorities in Congress.

Republicans need to net just five seats in the House and only one in the Senate to recapture control of each chamber, and the party has sought to put economic issues like inflation at the center of their campaign message ahead of the November midterm elections.

The rising costs also appear to be eating into voters’ ability to pay for things like rent, the poll found. Nearly half — 48 percent — said that it has either been somewhat or very difficult for them to afford monthly rent over the past six months. Only 19 percent said doing so has been “very easy.”

Those with mortgages are faring somewhat better. Sixty-two percent said that paying their mortgage has been either somewhat or very easy over the past half-a-year. Still, roughly one-third — 34 percent — reported having at least some difficulty paying.

Similarly, 37 percent of all respondents said that it’s been at least somewhat difficult to afford monthly bills, like water, electricity, internet and gas, according to the poll.

The poll also found that voters are particularly eager to see lawmakers on both sides of the aisle put aside their differences to combat inflation, which reached its highest point in 40 years last month.

An overwhelming majority of registered voters — 87 percent — said that it is important for both Democrats and Republicans in Congress to work together to address economic issues like inflation, deficit reduction and tax reform, including 67 percent who described it as “very important.”

Asked whom they would most like to see work on those issues, 56 percent said that members of both parties should come together to find a solution. Thirteen percent said that they want Democrats to address the matter, while 21 percent said they would prefer Republicans to handle it.

The BPC-Morning Consult poll surveyed 2,004 registered voters online from April 15-17. Results for the full sample of voters have a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.