Polls across the nation reveal that high inflation rates and issues regarding the US economy are among the primary concerns of voters as they approach the November elections. This comes in addition to other pressing matters such as border security and immigration policies. A recent poll by The Center Square, conducted in March 2024, surveyed more than 2,500 likely voters. It found that inflation/price increases (45%), illegal immigration (44%) and the economy/jobs (24%) were the top concerns for these respondents.
The Nevada US Senate race features two candidates with contrasting views on how to improve the economy and reduce costs – incumbent Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen and Republican challenger Sam Brown.
Rosen’s approach involves alleviating middle-class family costs through increased regulation of businesses. According to her campaign website, she supports measures to prevent further grocery price increases and intends to cut taxes for the middle class. In a letter to President Joe Biden, Rosen expressed opposition to grocery store monopolies and their potential impact on prices. She also supported the $437 billion Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which aimed to create new jobs as part of a larger investment in clean energy funded by taxpayers.
Rosen’s campaign did not respond to The Center Square’s request for comment.
On the other hand, Brown attributes inflation to high government spending and has suggested eliminating the Department of Energy, Transportation, and Education in an effort to reduce “duplicate” agencies at both state and federal levels. In a statement provided to The Center Square, Brown’s campaign stated that taxpayers are aware of the government’s excessive spending and poor resource allocation, which is why the country has accumulated $34 trillion in debt under the leadership of Jacky Rosen and President Joe Biden.
In a May 2022 debate, Brown called for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates by “2.5 points or more” in order to combat high inflation. Inflation reached 8.6% in May 2022, while from March 2022 to July 2023, the Federal Funds rate rose five points. The inflation rate fell to 3.3% in June 2024. Brown also believes that decreasing taxes can help boost the economy overall, as stated in an interview with The Washington Examiner.
