Early voting begins in midterms as campaign shifts focus to cost of living and Iran war – US politics live

# Analysis: Why This Election Moment Matters The shift toward early voting and the simultaneous pivot to cost-of-living messaging reveals a fundamental strategic calculation: neither party believes it can win on traditional ground. With inflation still elevated and grocery and gas prices dominating household budgets, Democrats are essentially conceding that they cannot defend their economic record and are instead attempting to redirect voter attention toward Republican threats on Iran policy and democracy itself. Republicans, conversely, are doubling down on pocketbook issues, betting that economic anxiety will override concerns about foreign policy or institutional stability. The outcome will determine not just which party controls Congress, but whether the next two years bring aggressive new spending initiatives (if Democrats hold power) or deep budget cuts and investigations into Biden administration policies (if Republicans take the majority)—changes that will directly affect federal aid to schools, healthcare access, and unemployment benefits for millions of Americans.