John Kennedy Flags Cost-of-Living Concerns Ahead of Midterms, Mulls 2028 Run

Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) told NBC News’ *Meet the Press* that “cost of living” is the dominant issue for voters as the GOP enters the final month before the 2024 midterm elections. He warned that Republicans could face political consequences if Americans feel Washington has failed to address rising expenses. Kennedy also said he will seek reelection this cycle but added that he would consider a presidential bid in 2028 if he no longer felt “effective” in the Senate.

Newsweek

Kennedy emphasized that inflation began under former President Joe Biden and worsened during the conflict with Iran under President Donald Trump, linking those trends to current affordability concerns. He noted his own campaign travel to battleground states—including Ohio, New Hampshire, Texas and Michigan—to support Republican candidates. White House spokesman Davis Ingle responded by calling the November 5, 2024 election “the ultimate poll,” arguing that the administration’s policies have created jobs, cooled inflation and increased housing affordability.

Newsweek

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett challenged the relevance of polling that shows voter pessimism. He described such surveys as “a classic Democrat move” and said he does not believe they reflect the underlying strength of consumer spending and retail sales.

Newsweek

An NBC News poll found Democrats holding a 39 percent to 38 percent edge on which party voters trust more to manage the economy—the first Democratic lead on that question since 2017. The same poll showed 55 percent of respondents saying former President Trump’s policies hurt the economy, versus 26 percent who said they helped. A September Marquette Law School poll reported that 37 percent of adults rank inflation and cost of living as the top issue, more than twice the share citing the broader economy.

Newsweek

• “I think the biggest issue is cost of living,” — John Kennedy, republican senator

Newsweek

• “Ahead of an election cycle, the fact that there's possibly partisan pollsters telling us that the people are really, really depressed, it's a classic Democrat move, and I just don't buy it,” — Kevin Hassett, economic council director

Newsweek

• “My plans right now are to run for reelection, but as I’ve said before, if I don’t think I can be effective in the Senate anymore, I would consider it,” — John Kennedy, republican senator

Washington Examiner

• “Oh, I’m not going to talk about another potential candidate,” — John Kennedy, republican senator

Washington Examiner