3 Charts That Explain the Economy as Voters Head to the Polls

Last week provided a final snapshot of the state of the economy before voters head to the polls for next month’s midterm elections.The flood of government data clarified a familiar picture — and thus a grim one for President Trump and incumbent Republicans.True, much of the data pointed to strength, or at least stability.Retail sales rose at a healthy pace in September.

Filings for unemployment benefits remained low.Industrial output hit a postpandemic high.But there was no relief on the issue that matters most to many voters, inflation.

Consumer prices rose last month at their fastest rate since May, outpacing wage growth for the sixth month in a row.Producer prices, too, came in hot, as did prices for imported goods.

And gasoline — the most visible price in the economy, and one that few Americans have any choice about paying — stayed above $4 a gallon nationally, where it has been for most of the past six months.Little wonder, then, that measures of consumer sentiment have worsened, and that polls show voters are poised to punish Republicans for failing to keep the economic promises they made on the campaign trail two years ago.The cost of living “is going to be the first issue on the scorecard in 2026,” said John W.Lettieri, president of the Economic Innovation Group, which last week published a survey of voter attitudes on the economy.

“The results are not good on that top issue.”...