Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum pointed to the cost of living and concerns about the economy as the driving factor that propelled Democrats to sweeping victories in Tuesday night’s elections.
“This idea of affordability, which just basically means inflation, that prices are too high and that that’s a real sensitivity spot for people, is, I think, something that Republicans do have to look carefully at,” MacCallum said during the network’s election night coverage, which were first highlighted by Mediaite. “It’s obvious that they’re very aware of it.”
Democrats won key races in states including Virginia and New Jersey on Tuesday, while progressive activist and state lawmaker Zohran Mamdani was elected to succeed New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D). California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) also found success after his Proposition 50, a ballot measure that greenlights mid-decade redistricting in the Golden State, passed.
The wins are being widely seen as a rebuke of President Trump and Republican control of government as a federal shutdown has hit the 36-day mark, marking the longest lapse of funding in U.S. history.
“Republicans are going to want to work on making sure that that is tangible, that people feel that increase,” MacCallum said. “And I think, you know, ‘It’s the economy, stupid’ — it ends up being the simple story of a lot of elections.
“And that’s clearly one of the lines here.”
