US Consumers Expect Red Wave to Usher in GOP Control of House and Senate: Survey

Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel and Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) cheer as House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), center, speak at an election night watch party in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 9. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. consumers expect the Republican Party will win control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, a new survey has found.

The survey of 1,201 consumers from the University of Michigan asked American consumers over the past two months which party they expect to win in the elections. Vote counting is currently underway after the midterms.

It found that the majority of respondents, approximately 54 percent, expect Republicans to take control of the House, while 50 percent expect the GOP to take control of the Senate.

Just 36 percent said they expect Democrats to retain control of the House, and 39 percent expect them to control the Senate.

The survey, which did not state whether the respondents were voters, showed that Republicans triumphed across all income, education, and age groups surveyed by the University of Michigan.

Overall, 65 percent of Democrats said they expect Democrats will win control of both the House and the Senate, while just 29 percent said they expect Republicans to gain control.

Among Republicans, on the other hand, 77 percent said they expect the GOP will win control of the House while 18 percent expect the Democrats to control the House.

When it comes to the Senate, 73 percent of Republicans said they expect the GOP will win control, while 22 percent expect Democrats to control the Senate.

Inflation, Cost of Living Weighing Heavily on Voters

Among Independents surveyed, Republicans had a 24-point lead for control of the House and a 16-point lead for the Senate.

Elsewhere, the survey asked consumers whether they thought a Democrat or Republican-controlled Congress would be more favorable for the economy and their own personal finances.

When it comes to the national economy, 37 percent of respondents said they think a Republican-controlled Congress would be more favorable compared to 21 percent who said a Democrat win would be more favorable. Another 37 percent said neither party was better for the U.S. economy.

For personal finances, 35 percent said Republicans are better and 20 percent said Democrats are better, while 41 percent said there was no difference between the parties when it comes to their own personal finances.

The survey comes amid a cost-of-living crisis that has been fueled by soaring and persistent inflation, currently at a 40-year high, under the Biden administration.

Year-over-year inflation is currently at 8.2 percent, down from 8.3 percent in August but still the highest since the early 1980s, while fears of a recession are rife.

Republicans have taken aim at President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy while pledging to reduce government spending and bolster energy independence in the face of soaring bills if they gain control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Meanwhile, Biden and Democrats have warned voters that the economy will “crash“ under Republican leadership.

Although the results of the elections are not yet finalized, the GOP is poised to win control of the House of Representatives, but the race for Senate is more closely contested.