Trumpenomics keeps rolling along...and the "expert" predictions? WRONG AGAIN.
This dramatic political shift, which Enten says spans across all political groups—Democrats, Independents, and Republicans—suggests that voter anxieties about inflation and high prices have substantially eased since President Donald Trump took office.
The 24% figure is significantly below the historical average for a midterm cycle, signaling a major political win amid Democratic efforts to campaign on the economy and rising prices, including those related to tariffs.
・Softer Inflation: The overall CPI increased 0.3% for the month, setting the annual inflation rate at 3%. This was less than the 0.4% and 3.1% economists had forecast.
・Core CPI (excluding food and energy) also undershot estimates, rising only 0.2% monthly and holding the annual rate steady at 3%.
・Gasoline was the main driver with a 4.1% jump, but inflation was otherwise described as "fairly muted," with shelter costs up just 0.2%.
Enten also noted that the ongoing government shutdown is causing less alarm than in the past, with less than a majority (48%) of Americans believing it is causing a great deal or quite a bit of harm to the economy—a sharp decline from 65% during the last measured shutdown in 2013.
The combination of surprisingly muted inflation and a sharp drop in economic anxiety suggests a political landscape fundamentally shifted away from financial fears, directly challenging the central attack line of Congressional Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterms.
CNN Data Reveals Voter Fears Evaporate As Inflation Cools And Economic Anxiety Plummets
Despite a government shutdown and a stream of political attacks focusing on costs, Americans’ concern over the economy has plummeted, eclipsing the official release of key inflation data. According to CNN senior data reporter Harry Enten, the share of Americans who view the economy as the nation's top political problem has dropped by nearly 20 points, falling from 43% in October 2024 to a current low of 24%.This dramatic political shift, which Enten says spans across all political groups—Democrats, Independents, and Republicans—suggests that voter anxieties about inflation and high prices have substantially eased since President Donald Trump took office.
The 24% figure is significantly below the historical average for a midterm cycle, signaling a major political win amid Democratic efforts to campaign on the economy and rising prices, including those related to tariffs.
CPI Rises Less Than Expected
The only official economic data permitted for release during the government shutdown—the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for September—arrived Friday and offered a backdrop of cooling prices:・Softer Inflation: The overall CPI increased 0.3% for the month, setting the annual inflation rate at 3%. This was less than the 0.4% and 3.1% economists had forecast.
・Core CPI (excluding food and energy) also undershot estimates, rising only 0.2% monthly and holding the annual rate steady at 3%.
・Gasoline was the main driver with a 4.1% jump, but inflation was otherwise described as "fairly muted," with shelter costs up just 0.2%.
Political Fallout
The data is the last major input the Federal Reserve will receive before its meeting next week, where a quarter-point interest rate cut is widely anticipated. Politically, however, the report is secondary to the news that voters are simply less worried.Enten also noted that the ongoing government shutdown is causing less alarm than in the past, with less than a majority (48%) of Americans believing it is causing a great deal or quite a bit of harm to the economy—a sharp decline from 65% during the last measured shutdown in 2013.
The combination of surprisingly muted inflation and a sharp drop in economic anxiety suggests a political landscape fundamentally shifted away from financial fears, directly challenging the central attack line of Congressional Democrats ahead of the 2026 midterms.
