Overview
- Deputy chief of staff James Blair said the president will emphasize lowering prices and the cost of living next year, previewing remarks in an interview for Politico's The Conversation.
- Blair pointed to Zohran Mamdani’s victory after a campaign centered on affordability and contrasted it with Jack Ciattarelli’s loss after not addressing power costs against Democrat Mikie Sherrill.
- Blair also criticized Virginia Republican Winsome Earle-Sears for messaging that focused heavily on transgender issues rather than top voter concerns.
- Unnamed White House insiders, as reported by Politico and reprinted by Raw Story, complained that the president has not discussed cost-of-living pressures in months and said voters still feel financial strain.
- Conservative strategists cited by Politico urged a course correction on both affordability-focused messaging and the quality of candidates following poor Republican results.