Speaking passionately about the economic crisis most people in the United States are facing when they go shopping, Youngkin said on CNBC, “We can’t tell Americans to ignore what they’ve seen and felt, and that’s what the Biden-Harris administration has been trying to do.”

Youngkin, the former CEO of the private equity firm The Carlyle Group, added, “The reality for Americans and Virginians is that the last three and a half years has been rough. There’s been unprecedented inflation like we haven’t seen in 40 years, and that has translated into real, real challenges where Virginians and Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. Listen, over the last year, over 500,000 Americans have had to take on a second job in order to make ends meet.”

“The top issue by far, by a huge margin is the economy,” says Virginia Governor @GlennYoungkin of the upcoming election. “At the end of the day, this is about jobs, economic confidence and Americans feeling like their government is going to deliver for them.” pic.twitter.com/X7vwVHHJB9

— Squawk Box (@SquawkCNBC) October 10, 2024

His comments followed the release of a new federal report that inflation was hotter than expected last month. The inflation rate actually turned up after coming down for months.

And it came as Social Security announced a low 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment, which translates into an average pay hike of just $48 a month.

🚨SINCE KAMALA TOOK OFFICE

Gas: +38.2%
Electricity: +31.3%
Fuel oil: +37.4%
Airfare: +24.5%
Hotels: +42.4%
Groceries: +22.1%
Eggs: +69.2%
Baby food: +31%
K-12 food: +69.7%
Rent: +22.9%
Transportation: +31.1%
Car insurance: +56.5%
Real average weekly earnings: -3.4%

— Jacki Kotkiewicz (@jackikotkiewicz) October 10, 2024

After the latest inflation report came out, Republican officials put out a list of price increases for common products, showing massive and sustained price increases on basics such as fuel, eggs, baby food, and rent.

For all of Biden and Harris’s efforts to talk up Bidenomics, most people in the U.S. continue to feel the pain of higher prices and lower wage increases.

In a poll from Rasmussen Reports, 80% of respondents said they are paying more for basics than they were one year ago.

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“Fifty-nine percent (59%) say rising food prices have caused them to change their eating habits,” said the polling outfit’s analysis.

“For the hard-working Americans, they have not seen real wage increases. And during the Trump administration, they saw 15% wage increases. And hardworking Americans understand that clearly and as a result, no matter what they try to tell people they should feel, the reality is their wallets are stretched. They’re struggling to make ends meet, and that is the reality for voters in Virginia and America,” said Youngkin.