Mike Madrid and Susan Del Percio dig into why housing affordability has become the central economic and political problem heading into the midterms.

They discuss how housing and cost of living concerns are driving the anxiety voters are feeling. 

Then, they look at populism on both sides of the aisle, from Trump’s embrace of “no tax on tips” and credit card caps to Mamdani’s promises to freeze the rent, and why neither party is being honest about the long-term supply problem at the heart of the housing crisis. 

Then, they break down what actually moves the needle—regulation, infrastructure, public housing maintenance, and local governance—and why Democrats are ceding the affordability debate while Republicans struggle to reconcile Trump-era rhetoric with conservative orthodoxy.

Finally, Susan lays out the tactical reality: national messaging won’t fix this, the economy won’t turn around quickly, and the candidates who win will be the ones who can translate affordability into concrete, local results voters can actually feel.

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