“It’s the economy, stupid.” That simple slogan coined by Democratic strategist James Carville helped propel Bill Clinton to victory over incumbent President George H.W. Bush. In 2026, with the midterm elections just a week away, Americans are sending politicians a message that’s just as simple.

I live with my husband and six children in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. We both work in political media and are upper middle class. I grew up the only child of a single mother, who worked as a social worker until she went on disability when I was 10. The fact that I now consider my family to be upper middle class is a testament to the power of the American dream.

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