Democrats are sounding the alarm in the final push for the election of a new US Congress on November 8th. At the top of voters’ list of concerns is skyrocketing inflation. As everywhere else in the world, life has rapidly become more expensive for many Americans. Voters blame President Biden’s economic policies above all else.

It must have been in the campaign offices of the Democrats who went into the fall with confidence. In the summer months, they achieved one political success after another: billions in investments in the American chip industry, stricter gun laws and a historic climate and environmental package.

And while Republicans made headlines largely over tough abortion laws and candidates fervently promoting the myth of the stolen presidential election two years ago. They are also threatening not to put up with the next election results.

Could be the unofficial campaign law It’s the economy, foolare replaced by it’s democracy, fool? The voter seems to vote with his wallet for the time being.

And yet: the midterm elections are also about democracy, as you can see in this explainer video by correspondent Lucas Waagmeester:

Inflation is being felt strongly in the Atlanta State Farmers Market. The name suggests a small farmer’s market with freshly made jams and soothing herbal teas, but the vast area the size of almost 90 football fields is one of the most important fruit and vegetable distribution points in all of America.

At stand 26, trader Juan gets off his forklift and inspects the new pallets of bananas and peppers that have just arrived. He’s been doing this job for 20 years and the business hasn’t been this bad in a long time, he says. “It’s very quiet and that’s because of all these price hikes. We had to increase the price of broccoli ten times in a short space of time. That’s why people stay away.”

Many entrepreneurs like Juan increase their prices due to rising costs and make less profit or loss. American consumers are spending more on groceries, gas and housing and, as in previous crises, are sinking into credit card debt to pay their bills.

Georgia’s largest city, Atlanta, has one of the highest inflation rates in the country at 11.7 percent, according to economists. And there are more cities in the US South and Southwest binaryTap Inflation. Prices rise much faster here than in expensive cities like Los Angeles or New York.

These economic concerns have given Republicans a powerful offensive weapon in the voter battle. In Georgia alone, they’ve spent more than $7 million on campaign spots alleging that Democratic Senator Warnock fueled inflation by recklessly spending government funds. And nationally too, the Republicans are saying the same thing with $150 million in commercials in many races: the Democrats are to blame that everything is getting more expensive.

Biden’s chaos

President Biden’s administration has wreaked havoc, according to Salleigh Grubbs, chair of a Georgia chapter of the Republican Party. “All this government support has left people unable to return to work after the pandemic. They have become dependent on support instead of looking after themselves like Americans normally do.”

Grubbs is president of a spray booth company, but her schedule these days is mostly filled with campaign events. You have no choice, she says. Too much is at stake: “The president is not on the ballot, but his economic policy is. The House of Representatives is responsible for the budget, if we take that back, we will stop extreme government spending.”

In polls, voters seem sensitive to Republican arguments. The party is outperforming the Democrats on cutting inflation and debt, as well as on jobs and taxes.

without megaphone

The economy is therefore an Achilles’ heel for Democrats, who are struggling to formulate an answer. They point to the war in Ukraine, global supply problems and profiteering, but the message is sparse and lacks a megaphone. Congressional candidates prefer not to talk about aid packages and corona checks for fear of being seen as a waste. The policies they wanted to be politically rewarded with have now become a minefield.

At the fruit stand, Juan turns up the Spanish-language music. Customers are finally coming, stopping right in front of the stand to immediately throw the crates of tomatoes and corn into the trunk. Before he has to go back to work, he wants to say one more thing about his voting behavior: “This time it will be a different party.”