Persistent inflation seriously threatens the Democrats’ chances of controlling Congress in the 2022 midterm elections

Following a summer of declining approval ratings, President Joe Biden now faces further falling sentiment as concerns about inflation increase. Paul Whiteley and Harold Clarke find that consumer confidence, which is influenced by inflation and unemployment rates, tends to track with presidential approval. With consumer confidence on the decline because of concerns about persistent inflation, they argue, Joe Biden and the Democrats are now facing strong electoral headwinds ahead of the crucial 2022 midterm elections.