85% of voters rank economy a top issue as Mike Johnson tries to blame media for country’s direction complaints

Johnson points to media

In an interview with Fox News’ Shannon Bream on Sunday, Johnson was asked why polls show Americans worried about the economy and pessimistic about the country’s direction. He suggested a hostile media environment could explain voters’ views and said there was more work to do. A recent AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll found that 85 percent of registered voters consider the economy one of the most important issues in November’s midterm elections.

Gas prices and campaign arguments

Johnson acknowledged Republicans need to work on lowering gas prices, then argued that Democrats would bring worse outcomes. He cited border policy, fossil fuels, the rule of law, public safety and economic conditions in making his case. Republicans have also been raising fears about communism ahead of the midterms, although the article says no credible candidate identifies as a communist.

Trump’s approval numbers

President Donald Trump has campaigned with GOP candidates, holding daily rallies to rally his supporters as Republicans try to retain control of Congress. His involvement may pose a challenge for candidates in close races, given his low approval rating.

On the economy, 67 percent of Americans disapproved of Trump’s handling, while 33 percent approved. The same shares disapproved of and approved his handling of the war in Iran, which the article links to soaring gas prices.

Inflation remains above target

The annual inflation rate reached 3.7 percent in September, according to the federal government’s Consumer Price Index. That was above the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent target.