Kennedy says ‘telling’ Americans ‘not to believe their own lying checkbooks is not going to work’

Sen. John Kennedy said on NBC’s Meet the Press that Republicans must be candid with voters about the rising cost of living as the party prepares for the midterm elections. He predicted a close contest and told host Kristen Welker he would "bet you a soda and a nice hat" that experts are wrong about the outcome, while stressing that economic concerns will be decisive for many voters. Kennedy described inflation as having started during the Biden administration and said it has been exacerbated during President Trump’s current term because of the war in Iran. He warned that dismissing voters’ lived financial experiences would not be an effective political strategy, saying, "Telling them not to believe their own lying checkbooks is not going to work." The political backdrop includes public unease over higher pump prices and broader economic sentiment. AAA reported the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline at about $4.37 on Sunday afternoon, compared with roughly $3.14 a year earlier. The article noted the Strait of Hormuz was closed amid the Iran conflict, a development it linked to upward pressure on fuel costs. Polling cited in the report shows substantial public dissatisfaction with economic conditions: a Quinnipiac University poll found 62 percent of respondents opposed President Trump’s handling of the economy, while an Associated Press/NORC survey reported 65 percent of respondents said the president’s policies were contributing to high prices and that over half believed the national economy had worsened since Trump returned to the White House. Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, dismissed those polls as partisan ahead of the election cycle when speaking on CNN’s State of the Union.