According to a recent AP/KFF poll, cost of living and health care costs are the primary issues that rural voters want candidates to address in the 2026 midterm elections. The poll indicates that rural voters prioritize economic concerns over immigration and other domestic policy debates. Specifically, 69% of rural voters indicated that it is 'extremely important' for candidates to discuss the cost of living, while 56% emphasized health care costs and 54% highlighted fraud in government programs. The survey, which included 2,241 registered voters living in rural areas, assessed the importance of eight issues for the upcoming elections.
Affordability concerns are prevalent among rural voters, with 57% citing economic issues such as rising costs, jobs, wages, and housing affordability as the biggest challenges facing their local communities. Additionally, 67% expressed concern about affording gas or transportation, 66% about health care, and 60% about food and groceries. The survey revealed that three-quarters of respondents rated the cost of living in their area as either 'fair' or 'poor,' a significant increase of 25 percentage points since 2017.
Despite these concerns, the poll shows that rural voters' dissatisfaction with costs does not necessarily translate into support for Democratic candidates. The survey found that 40% of respondents trust Republicans more to handle the cost of living, compared to 25% who trust Democrats and 27% who trust neither party. Furthermore, 54% of rural voters identified as GOP voters or Republican-leaning independents, while 32% identified as Democrats or Democratic-leaning independents.
The poll also examined the potential impact of economic frustration on voter enthusiasm among rural Republicans. It found that 27% of rural Republican voters disapprove of former President Trump's handling of the economy, with 59% of this group indicating they are certain to vote in the midterms. Nevertheless, 98% of rural Republicans stated they are more likely to vote for a Republican candidate than a Democrat.
The KFF/AP poll was conducted from August 12 to 24, 2026, with a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points.