Voters want the next Congress to focus on costs and Iran, not on Trump, a new AP-NORC poll shows

WASHINGTON (AP) — Regardless of the outcome in the coming election, a new AP-NORC poll shows voters from both major political parties want the next Congress to focus on making life more affordable and ending the war in Iran, while fewer are looking for an emphasis on President Donald Trump — whether it’s investigating him or supporting his agenda. The results suggest that voters are ready for Congress to tackle core issues, despite Trump’s centrality in the midterm campaign. About 8 in 10 registered voters, including a large majority of Republicans and Democrats, say lowering the cost of living should be one of the highest priorities for the session coming up, the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds.

Justin Campbell, a 31-year-old Democrat from Brookhaven, Mississippi, said he wants the government to focus on helping people like him rather than wealthy people. “I’m not a millionaire and probably won’t ever be,” he said. “I prefer policy that helps me instead of someone I’ll never be.” Most voters also want Congress to prioritize ending the war with Iran, with roughly 7 in 10 saying this should be a top focus.

Substantially fewer voters, about 4 in 10, want Congress to make investigating the Trump administration a high priority, and only about 2 in 10 want Congress to prioritize supporting the Republican president’s agenda. But the poll also indicates that there are deep divisions within the parties on what to focus on, with moderate Democrats and Republicans differing sharply from voters on the left and right wings of their parties. Most Democratic voters who identify as supporters of democratic socialism are hoping for a Congress that will investigate the Trump administration, and many want to end military aid to Israel, while MAGA Republicans are interested in Congress supporting Trump’s agenda.

Moderates in both parties, meanwhile, are much likelier to want Democrats and Republicans to find common ground. Most voters want Congress to focus on reducing costs and ending the war Lowering the cost of living and ending the Iran war overshadow a wide range of other issues as voters consider priorities for the next Congress. While most registered voters say reducing costs and ending the war should be among the highest priorities for Congress, only about half say reducing the budget deficit and finding common ground bet…