1:39U.S. Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic candidate for New Jersey governor, is advocating for the Gateway Tunnel Project at the Westfield NJ Transit Train Station in Westfield, New Jersey, USA, on October 30, 2025. Mike Segar/Reuters
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Almost a year following Donald Trump's triumph in the 2024 presidential contest, apprehensions among Americans concerning hefty expenses, rising prices, and the expense of living that bolstered his resurgence to the Executive Mansion now cast a shadow over the approaching ballots in New Jersey and Virginia.
The extent to which electors are grappling with these difficulties — along with whom they deem accountable — could determine the conclusion of the pivotal state executive contests, and subsequently, the path for both political organizations leading into the 2026 congressional elections, ABC News was informed by specialists.
"The overarching theme of financial accessibility is quite prevalent across these election cycles," voiced Dr. Ashley Koning, the leader of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling stationed at Rutgers University, in dialogue with ABC News.
The concept of affordability similarly propelled Zohran Mamdani, a relatively unknown New York assembly member who has pledged to set a rent ceiling for rent-controlled living spaces in New York City, to clinch the Democratic nomination, subsequently establishing him as the frontrunner in the upcoming mayoral election on Tuesday.
Concerning New Jersey, "the main focus truly lies on what is transpiring with people's finances," according to Konig.
Democratic Representative Mikie Sherrill and Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli have frequently clashed on matters related to the cost of living throughout the gubernatorial campaign.
Sherrill’s blueprint encompasses initiatives to broaden the scope of reasonably priced accommodation through the implementation of tax breaks for developers. She has articulated intentions to declare a state of emergency to put a stop to escalating utility rates.
U.S. Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic candidate for New Jersey governor, is advocating for the Gateway Tunnel Project at the Westfield NJ Transit Train Station in Westfield, New Jersey, USA, on October 30, 2025.Mike Segar/Reuters
The Garden State possesses some of the most elevated median residential electricity costs nationwide, as per the U.S. Energy Information Administration. According to the Regional Plan Association, New Jersey's electricity expenditures soared between 17% and 20% during the summer period.
Ciattarelli, an entrepreneur and former state lawmaker, has concentrated his efforts on tax-related concerns, promising to diminish the state's individual and corporate tax rates, and to broaden a property tax freeze aimed at senior citizens residing in the high-tax state.
A recent Quinnipiac survey conducted in the concluding days of the election cycle revealed that 25% of likely voters indicate that taxation stands as the paramount determinant in their voting decision.
Certain voters throughout the state have held the departing Democratic Governor Phil Murphy accountable for the fiscal circumstances prevalent in New Jersey, thereby engendering a dilemma for Sherrill in a state that has not sustained the dominance of a single party in the governor’s seat for a successive sequence of three terms since 1961.
"I believe the majority of voters likely prioritize this, given that it is a universally experienced sentiment," voiced Kelsey Anthony, an attorney who opted for early voting in favor of Ciattarelli, during her conversation with ABC News's Martha Raddatz. "The preceding eight years have proven exceptionally informative, and the incumbent administration has profoundly impacted numerous families across New Jersey."
BRIDGEWATER, NEW JERSEY – OCTOBER 31: New Jersey Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli receives a gift as he leaves after casting his ballot during early voting on October 31, 2025 in Bridgewater, New Jersey. Ciattarelli will face off against Democrat Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) in a tightly contested race for New Jersey governor on November 4.Kena Betancur/Getty Images
In Virginia, where tens of thousands of residents working in the federal sector have been affected by the government shutdown, the Trump legacy — alongside dissatisfaction with the federal machinery — is more acutely noticeable.
Approximately 6 in 10 Americans ascribe the prevailing inflation rate to Trump, while surpassing 6 in 10 voice their disapproval concerning Trump's stewardship of tariffs, the economy, and the administration of the federal government, as indicated by a novel ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll implemented via Ipsos' KnowledgePanel.
"I have the impression that the situation has declined," remarked Juliana, a single mother of three and a clinical technician employed at a hospital within Virginia, in her interview with ABC News' Elizabeth Schulze, concerning the economy since the preceding year's election.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA – NOVEMBER 01: Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger speaks during a campaign rally featuring former U.S. President Barack Obama at Chartway Arena on November 01, 2025 in Norfolk, Virginia. Spanberger will face off against Republican candidate Winsome Earle-Sears in the Commonwealth of Virginiaâs off-year election for governor and other statewide offices on November 4.Win Mcnamee/Getty Images
"Life in Virginia is markedly costly," she commented. "Achieving true financial stability necessitates the presence of another individual who actively participates in the workforce alongside you."
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger, formerly a member of Congress, has anchored her concluding message on economic aspects, underscoring the Trump administration's trade strategy and the repercussions of both the shutdown and cuts to the federal budget on Virginia's inhabitants.
Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, who has been lagging behind Spanberger for the majority of the campaign, has criticized Spanberger regarding the Democratic stance on the government shutdown while stressing transgender-related matters, a strategy that facilitated Republican acquisition of the governor's office back in 2021.
She has likewise pursued capitalizing on the reactions surrounding virulent text communications circulated by the Democratic candidate for attorney general.
Zack Roday, a Republican strategist operating from Virginia, stated that Democrats are coalescing around an economic narrative that "unites their electoral base," further asserting that the nation's economic forecast possesses the potential for improvement within the ensuing year, affording Republicans an opportunity to promote Trump's policies in anticipation of the midterms.
"Should the expense of living assume primacy, that is assuredly where they will concentrate their efforts; nonetheless, sufficient time remains for the Trump doctrine — and a multitude of actions pertaining to both commerce and tax legislation," he stated. "Moreover, he commands a pervasive platform."
HARRISONBURG, VIRGINIA – OCTOBER 30: Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Winsome Earle-Sears speaks during a campaign event at the Rockingham County Fair on October 30, 2025 in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Earle-Sears’ campaign continues to travel across the state of Virginia ahead of the Commonwealthâs off-year election for governor on November 4.Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Even some Democrats acknowledge that there are elements of the Republican tax code favored by voters, for example, provisions that guarantee no taxes on tips and overtime for certain service workers.
However, curtailments to federal government initiatives, in addition to the Trump administration's tariff strategy, may overshadow the fiscal discourse, as analysts and political operatives indicated to ABC News.
"Undeniably, backing exists for [tax reductions], yet it constitutes a policy stance that remains detached from the immediate adversities experienced by the populace," Democratic strategist Caitlin Legacki communicated to ABC News.
ABC News' Martha Raddatz and Elizabeth Schulze were contributors to this report
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
