Affordability is taking center stage in the 2026 elections, perhaps more than any other area of interest. In a poll released this month by health policy nonprofit KFF, 62% of voters say the cost of living is the top issue they want to hear about from candidates. Among the top concerns were affording the cost of health care, gas and other transportation.

Candidates are meeting this moment of public outrage by using the high cost of living as a political frame to package a range of policies. Here are some of the slogans you might be seeing and what’s behind them.

Originally published on nerdwallet.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.

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