One issue is dominating on the campaign trail according to a new poll that looks at what's motivating voters in Virginia.
Cost of living is the top issue on the campaign trail, more than immigration, more than healthcare. That's according to a new poll from the Schar School at George Mason University where Jeremy Mayer is a political science professor.
"Trump hasn't had a good, consistent message on it," Mayer says. "He hasn't figured out what to say, because he'll sometimes say, 'We've lowered prices here, we've lowered prices here,' and then he'll turn around and say, 'Affordability is a hoax,' and then, 'I don't care about the effect of the Iran war on the cost of gas.'"
That muddled message isn't working with voters who are grappling with inflation at the grocery store and higher gas prices at the pump. That puts Republican candidates like Rob Wittman and John McGuire in a difficult spot.
"They won't win any points if they were to suddenly say the president has screwed up on affordability. It's not going to help them. This is the ship they're on," says Mayer. "They have to hope that something happens in the next few weeks that reduces the price of gas, and I don't see that happening."
The poll shows diminishing support for Republican incumbents at a time when early voting numbers are picking up and the conclusion of voting is just one month away.
