Tim Scott brands 2026 as the ‘year of affordability’
Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) has declared 2026 as the “year of affordability,” emphasizing the Republican Party’s renewed focus on addressing cost-of-living concerns following recent election setbacks to Democrats who prioritized affordability in their campaigns. This shift is highlighted by the surprising election of New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic socialist whose progressive policies on rent control, childcare, and public transportation underscored the topic’s political importance.
Scott praised economic measures initiated during the Trump administration, such as tax breaks on tips, overtime, and Social Security benefits, which are set to take effect in 2026. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has urged Republicans to reclaim the message of affordability, criticizing Democrats for failing to prevent historic inflation and high energy costs during their tenure.
Although Trump faces scrutiny over rising prices under his current administration, efforts have been made to control drug prices and the average rent has recently slightly decreased. Additionally, Trump has promised upcoming “tariff checks” to provide financial relief to middle-income Americans. affordability is emerging as a central theme for Republicans as they seek to regain political ground in upcoming elections.
Scott brands 2026 as ‘year of affordability’ as Republicans scramble to match blue energy on topic
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) wants 2026 to be the “year of affordability” as Republicans reel from election losses to affordability-focused Democrats.
Particularly since New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s unlikely rise, Republicans have re-championed affordability as their top concern.
“So many of the benefits of that working-class tax cut, they don’t kick in until next year, and thank god we’re less than 60 days away from the beginning of a brand new year,” he told Fox News. “2026 will be the year of affordability.”
He also touted the Trump administration’s economic agenda items of no tax on tips, overtime, and social security, which he said don’t kick in until 2026.
Scott’s rhetoric aligns with what the White House has pushed since the GOP lost significant ground in the 2025 elections. Republicans lost chances at governorships in Virginia and New Jersey while also losing seats in those states’ House chambers. They also lost the lieutenant governor and Attorney General races in Virginia.
Mamdani’s win shook the political ground the most out of any. While Republicans were never expected to win the mayoral race, President Donald Trump backed former Gov. Andrew Cuomo to beat the Democratic socialist Mamdani.
The Democratic socialist had some of the most progressive affordability ideas — via pledges towards a rent freeze for rent-stabilized tenants, no-cost childcare, and fast and free buses — of any Democratic candidate. And despite an organized opposition effort from a highly recognizable candidate in Cuomo, Mamdani won the general election by about 9 points.
Trump recently said that Republicans should reclaim “affordable” as their word, and suggested Democrats are being disingenuous by championing it.
“The word is affordable,” Trump said. “And affordable should be our word, not theirs, because the Democrats got up and said ‘affordability, affordability’ and they don’t say that they had the worst inflation in history, the highest energy prices in history, everything was the worst. What they are great at is lying.”
The president, who won the 2025 election with a myriad of promises on how he would fatten Americans’ wallets, is hoping his promised tariff checks will materialize soon.
Trump has pledged tariff checks to Americans funded by the administration’s wide international taxing agenda. “We’ve taken in hundreds of millions of dollars in tariff money. We’re going to be issuing dividends later on. Somewhere prior to, you know, probably in the middle of next year, a little bit later than that. Of thousands of dollars for individuals of moderate income, middle income,” he said.
WHITE HOUSE ATTEMPTS TO FOCUS ON AFFORDABILITY DROWNED OUT AS TRUMP FLIPS ON EPSTEIN VOTE
The president often blamed former President Joe Biden for rising prices while in office. Now that Trump is in office, he has faced the blame for rising costs for Americans.
Grocery prices rose 1.4% from January to September of this year, and consumer prices rose about 1.7%. However, the average rent price fell around $50 since November 2024, and the administration lowered costs of certain drugs and will also set prices of new medications at “Most Favored Nation” levels.
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