WASHINGTON — Registered voters increasingly view Democrats as better equipped to handle the cost of living and the economy compared to Republicans, according to a NORC poll released in late September. The survey indicates a shift in public perception regarding which party is more capable of managing financial pressures facing households.

The NORC Center for Public Affairs Research conducted the poll of 2,140 adults, including 1,766 registered voters, from Sept. 24-28. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 2.9 percentage points for adults overall and plus or minus 3.1 percentage points for registered voters.

Thirty-eight percent of registered voters say the Democrats would be better for handling the cost of living, compared with 27% who say that about the Republicans. This represents a change from February, when the issue of which party would be better for the cost of living was about evenly split among U.S. adults, with about 3 in 10 saying each party would be better.

Voters also expressed views on whether the parties are focused on helping specific groups. About 3 in 10 registered voters say the phrase 'focused on helping rich and powerful people' describes the Democratic Party 'extremely' or 'very' well.

Perceptions of problem-solving ability remain low for both organizations. Similar percentages of registered voters say that 'able to solve important problems' or 'focused on helping people like me' describes the Republican Party 'extremely' or 'very' well.

Fifty-five percent of registered voters say the Republican Party is 'too extreme.' Forty-five percent of registered voters say the Democratic Party is 'too extreme.' Most Republican voters say their party is 'about right.' Slightly fewer than half of Democratic voters say their party is 'too moderate,' while a similar share say it is 'about right.'

Why It Matters

The shift in voter preference toward Democrats on economic issues occurs against a backdrop of historical performance and recent legislative outcomes. While the party has historically passed major economic legislation during periods of unified government, recent years saw unmet goals on priorities such as the minimum wage. The poll results indicate that despite these gaps, voters currently view Democrats as more capable than Republicans on cost of living issues.

Perceptions of extremism and partisan loyalty affect how voters engage with the political system. With majority of voters viewing at least one party as too extreme, and low percentages believing either party can solve important problems, disillusionment remains high.

What's New

Later reporting indicated that the poll found that 6 in 10 registered voters believe the Republican Party is 'too extreme,' while 45% say the same about the Democratic Party, showing a growing perception of extremism across both parties. Additional context noted that the Democratic Party has historically had a higher percentage of voters who believe the party is better at handling the economy compared to the Republican Party, with a consistent lead in recent years.

The poll revealed that 38% of registered voters believe the Democratic Party is better at handling the cost of living, a significant increase from February 2026 when the issue was evenly split among U.S. adults. Meagan Ludwig, a real estate broker from Milwaukee, voted for democratic socialist Francesca Hong in the Democratic primary for governor in August 2026, indicating her preference for more progressive policy agendas over establishment candidates.

The Democratic Party’s 2024 platform included a commitment to raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2026, as outlined in the official party document published by the Democratic National Committee. The Democratic Party has historically had a higher rate of passing major economic legislation during periods of unified government, according to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reports from 2017-2021. Aaron Siever, a former police officer from southwest Virginia, expressed frustration with both major parties, stating that 'neither side seems able to fix them,' reflecting broader voter disillusionment with partisan gridlock.