Peach Tree Times

A Politico/Morning Consult poll indicated that 62% of respondents blamed the Biden administration for the rise in inflation.

The poll, conducted Oct. 16-18, surveyed 1,998 registered voters.

Upon Biden's signing of the infrastructure package, Georgia Senate candidate Latham Saddler remarked via Twitter, "Yesterday Joe Biden signed a reckless, TRILLION dollar infrastructure bill. It attacks the purchasing power of families across our state, aided by @RaphaelWarnock's misguided policies of spending into record inflation. I stand firmly in support of Georgia families."

Even though many criticized the infrastructure bill, some were supportive of it.

"This historic bipartisan infrastructure investment is huge for Georgia and for the United States," Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) tweeted.

A recent Tax Foundation study found that inflation will trigger increased state taxes in Georgia. This increase will occur because Georgia is among 15 states that don't adjust taxes for an increase in the cost of living, meaning that while real wages are declining due to inflation, nominal wage increases remain taxed at a higher rate.

Another Politico/Morning Consult poll, conducted Nov. 13-15 among 1,998 registered voters, found that 60% of respondents were "very concerned" about inflation, 27% were "somewhat concerned," 10% were not too concerned, and 3% were not concerned at all. Republicans were most likely to be concerned, at 93%, but a significant 83% majority of Democratic voters were also concerned. 

Biden's approval rating fell in the most recent Politico/Morning Consult polling, with 43% of respondents approving of the president and 53% disapproving.

Morning Consult also noted that despite the fact that voters blame rising inflation on the Biden administration's policies, the president signed a bill Monday that accelerates deficit spending and raises taxes. 

Morning Consult said that while the Biden administration has focused efforts on economic messaging, polling on the issue has remained largely unchanged. 

Adrienne Elrod, a longtime Democratic strategist who served as director of strategic communications for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, said, "Forget politics — it's not an ideal scenario if you can't afford a turkey or can't find your canned pumpkin at the grocery store this year." This analysis squares with Morning Consult's assertion that over 60% of US adults expect prices to increase, especially when it comes to utility and energy bills, up from 47% in February.

Further polls show that inflation is hurting Democratic chances in the 2022 midterm elections, with 51% of voters saying they would vote for a Republican in their district and 41% saying they would support a Democrat, the widest margin since 1981, according to ABC News reporting.