48% of Americans Want Cheaper Groceries Within 6 Months

Greensboro voters joined a national trend on Tuesday when they helped elect Democratic candidates to Congress and state offices. The primary driver for many of these voters was the cost of living, specifically the price of food at the checkout counter. The result gives Democrats control of both the House and Senate, setting the stage for a new approach to affordability in January.

The first challenge for the incoming majority is the political gridlock in Washington. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told NPR that tackling high prices will be a top priority. However, President Trump retains the power to veto legislation and has shown little interest in reversing his signature tariffs or the ongoing war in Iran. Both factors contribute to higher grocery bills. Tariffs increase the cost of imported foods and the machinery and packaging used by the industry. The war in Iran has driven up energy prices, raising transportation costs, and has disrupted global fertilizer trade by closing the Strait of Hormuz.

The second challenge involves labor and federal benefits. Trump’s immigration crackdown has created shortages on U.S. farms. Additionally, the federal food assistance programs WIC and SNAP are undergoing major changes. Participation in SNAP has dropped sharply since last summer. Incoming Democratic senators from states like Texas and Kansas have proposed protections for these programs. Texas candidate James Talarico pledged to push back against cuts, while Kansas candidate Adam Hamilton supports a national ban on dynamic pricing in stores.

The third area of action is at the state level, where Democrats also made gains. At least 28 states will have Democratic governors next year. In North Carolina, incoming Governor Roy Cooper vowed to block food industry mergers that he says raise consumer prices. Other Democratic governors are proposing local solutions. Georgia’s Keisha Lance Bottoms wants to let cities lower or eliminate sales taxes on groceries. Texas governor-elect Gina Hinojosa plans to ban predatory pricing tactics. New Mexico’s Deb Haaland intends to waive permitting fees for markets in food deserts.

Chris Borick, a political science professor at Lehigh University, noted that while both sides want to lower costs, the distance between the president and the new Democratic Congress is wide. He said the tools available to bridge that gap are limited. Lael Brainard of The Kitchen Table Project said Americans feel squeezed by prices that they believe do not need to be that high. A September poll from the Kitchen Table Project and Global Strategy Group found that nearly half of respondents listed lowering grocery bills within six months as their most important goal.