Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) acknowledged Sunday that Republicans need to intensify their efforts to ease the financial strain on American households, with the midterm elections now roughly six weeks away.
In an interview on NBC's Meet the Press, Barrasso said that people "around the country are feeling the pain," pointing to concerns he has heard from ranchers and farmers in his home state of Wyoming. "People vote about what's going on in their life and their future," he told host Kristen Welker. "And we know we need to do more. We need to get more money into people's pockets."
The senator touted the GOP-backed One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which made permanent President Trump's 2017 tax cuts and added new deductions for overtime and tipped income. But he conceded that the ongoing conflict in Iran has driven up costs for Americans, with gas prices approaching $4.50 a gallon and annual inflation climbing from 2.4% in February to 3.4% in August, according to the consumer price index.
Recent polling underscores the political danger for Republicans. A Politico/Public First survey found that more than 4 in 10 respondents blame Trump for the state of the economy, including 19% of Republicans and 70% of Democrats. An NBC News poll similarly showed that roughly 55% of Americans believe Trump's policies have worsened the economy.
Barrasso argued that one of the most effective ways to lower costs is to cut regulations and boost domestic oil production. "We need to do more with permitting," he said. "That's legislation we're working on now."
Trump, for his part, has floated sending $5,000 dividend checks to every American if Republicans retain control of Congress in November. But several GOP lawmakers have expressed concern about the impact of such a plan on the already ballooning national debt. When asked whether he would commit to passing such legislation, Barrasso sidestepped, saying the president is "always looking for ways to get more money in people's pockets."
He added: "Bottom line is, the president is right to be focused on people and the economy. I'm focused on winning the House and winning the Senate."
The senator's comments come as Republicans face voter anger over the economy and Iran, which could complicate their efforts to hold the Senate and flip the House. Meanwhile, Democrats are pitching their own affordability agenda as the campaign season heats up.
