WHAT THE DATA SAY: 70% oppose government shutdown, with blame on both sides

By: Ray Day

CONTACT:

Ray Day
ray.day@stagwellglobal.com 

We wanted to share our latest consumer and business insights, based on research from Stagwell. Among the highlights of our weekly consumer sentiment tracking:

ECONOMIC PESSIMISM LINGERS

Economic worries continue to consume Americans, according to our September Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll.

• 51% say the country is on the wrong track – up 1 point from August.
• 53% say the U.S. economy is on the wrong track – level with August.
• 43% say their personal financial situation is getting worse – up 1 point from August.
• Inflation (32%) and the economy and jobs (29%) remain the top issues.
• See also: Tariffs, Taxes and Tight Margins: How the Middle Market Is Bracing for 2026

WIDESPREAD OPPOSITION TO SHUTDOWN

Most Americans oppose the government shutdown, and they are blaming both sides, according to our Harvard CAPS/Harris poll.

• 70% oppose the shutdown.
• 53% blame Republicans for the shutdown, and 47% blame Democrats.
• 65% say Democrats should accept a continuing resolution at current spending levels, while 35% say they should hold out for additional funding for ObamaCare.
• With the shutdown, Americans are growing more negative: Congress today has a 32% approval rating, compared with 37% last month.

TRIGGERED IN THE GROCERY AISLE

Americans say it’s harder to afford their groceries now than it was a year ago, based on our latest Harris Poll with Axios.

• 47% say it’s harder to afford groceries today.
• Fewer than 1 in 3 say tariffs have been good for the U.S. economy, U.S. businesses or personal finances.
• 63% worry about shortages of key goods they rely on due to tariffs.
• 65% say they’re financially squeezed each month.

RECORD-BREAKING 2026 ELECTION

The number of high stakes races and redistricting will lead to increase political spending next year, according to Assembly’s 2026 Election Outlook report.

• The nation will see 33 Senate races, 36 governor races, 435 House races and more than 6,000 state and local races in 2026.
• Political advertising spend is projected to surpass $10 billion.
• Georgia, Michigan and North Carolina will see the highest spend and the most intense political landscapes.
• Local broadcast television will remain the majority of political ad spending.

FUTURE OF HEALTH TECH

Americans are embracing health tech, yet they want better resources and more control, according to our Harris Poll survey with Verily.

• 72% of Americans are actively seeking information about healthy nutrition and lifestyle options.
• 60% like to stay up to date and seek out new digital health tools and resources.
• 82% wish they could access all their health information in one place.
• 64% find aspects of their current health apps frustrating.
• They want an app that helps them better understand their health over time (76%) and offers personalized recommendations from healthcare professionals (75%).

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