US President Donald Trump is attempting to revive confidence in his economic agenda during a campaign‑style swing through the battleground states of Nevada and Arizona, even as soaring fuel prices and rising living costs threaten to undermine both his message and his party’s midterm prospects.
Speaking to supporters in Las Vegas on Thursday, Trump promoted his tax and immigration bill a package crafted to appeal to hourly workers and the state’s massive hospitality workforce. But across the country, Americans are feeling the strain of higher prices on everything from gasoline to groceries, housing to insurance, and Republican strategists say the political fallout is becoming impossible to ignore.
Five GOP strategists told Reuters they fear the White House has lost control of the affordability debate, wiping out the political boost Republicans hoped to gain from Trump’s tax bill and a previously resilient economy. “The cost of living is going to trump anything no pun intended over any small change in tax returns,” said David Damore, a political science professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Some of Trump’s advisers insist relief is coming, predicting the president will soon reach a deal with Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, easing global oil prices and calming voter anxiety. But energy analysts warn it could take weeks for producers to restart operations even after hostilities end meaning higher fuel prices may linger well into the election season.
That poses serious risks for Republicans facing a brutal midterm map. Democrats are heavily favored to retake the House, and key Senate races in North Carolina, Georgia, Ohio and even deep‑red Nebraska are trending toward Democratic candidates, according to the Cook Political Report. Trump’s approval rating fell to 36 percent in a late‑March Reuters/Ipsos poll, marking a low point in his second term.
Nevada and Arizona both hosting competitive Senate and House contests are central to Trump’s tour. On Friday, he is expected to appear at a Turning Point USA event in Phoenix.
Republicans had hoped last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which eliminated taxes on tips and overtime wages, would resonate with voters desperate for economic relief. But one GOP strategist advising congressional campaigns said the message has been drowned out. “I think that’s been wiped out,” the strategist said.
As the war with Iran continues to push gasoline prices higher and inflation remains stubborn, Trump’s ability to rally voters and rescue vulnerable Republicans is increasingly in doubt.
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