Half of Americans struggle to afford groceries and gas, exclusive poll finds

A driver refuels a vehicle with regular gasoline at a Chevron gas station in San Francisco, California, on 2 July. Photograph: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images View image in fullscreen A driver refuels a vehicle with regular gasoline at a Chevron gas station in San Francisco, California, on 2 July. Photograph: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images Half of Americans struggle to afford groceries and gas, exclusive poll finds About 57% of polled Americans also believe economy is worsening in grim portrait of cost of living crisis, according to Harris survey for the Guardian Ninety-five per cent of Americans believe the US is suffering an affordability crisis, as many report trouble with the rising cost of groceries and gas, according to an exclusive new poll conducted for the Guardian. The survey, conducted by Harris Poll, paints a bleak picture of how people feel about the US economy amid the war in Iran and ahead of the key midterm elections this fall. Despite stable employment and record-high stock markets, more Americans believe the overall economy is getting worse (57%) than in February (46%), when the poll was last conducted and before the war in the Middle East sent gas prices soaring. Fewer people today also believe the economy is getting better (16%, compared with 28% in February) and more say their financial security has gotten worse. Chart of increased economic pessimism across party lines The affordability struggle crosses party lines: about half of all Democrats, Republicans and independents say they are having trouble affording everyday necessities like gas and groceries. Two-thirds of Americans – including 49% of Republicans – said they have little faith that the federal government will improve the cost-of-living crisis they face. Trump’s affordability crisis hits his supporters hardest as he calls housing bill of ‘minor importance’ Read more Though Republicans have been far more optimistic about the economy than Democrats and independents under Donald Trump ’s second term, the war in Iran seems to have soured those in the president’s base. While 49% of Republicans said the economy was getting better in February, just 27% said the same in the new poll. Meanwhile, 38% of Republicans say the economy is now getting worse compared with 22% who said the same in February. Even rural Americans, a strong base for Republicans, are feeling more pessimistic: 64% say the economy is getting worse, compared with 46% who said the same in February. Rural Americans were also the most likely to say that good job opportunities have disappeared over the past year and that tariffs have negatively affected American manufacturing jobs in the past year. Bar chart of rural respondents saying they have a harder time finding good jobs nearby than suburban and urban respondents Cratering economic sentiment may cause problems for the Republican party, which is trying to maintain a narrow control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections. Ev