Terry Schilling, president of the conservative American Principles Project, has stated that voters have valid reasons to distrust Republicans on economic matters. Appearing on CNN's "This Morning," Schilling suggested that Republican prospects in the 2026 midterm elections could be impacted if issues like high gas prices and the war in Iran, which he attributed to Donald Trump's administration, were not factors.
Schilling noted that his organization, which focuses on socially conservative policies, has observed that voters tend to trust Republicans on cultural issues, particularly those concerning children and transgender athletes. However, he added, "But they don’t trust Republicans with the economy. And for good reason."
According to Schilling, Republicans are currently failing to clearly articulate their economic plans or future strategies. Anchor Audie Cornish countered by pointing out that economic concerns typically rank higher among voter priorities than cultural issues. Schilling acknowledged this, but argued that polling data might not fully capture how voters' opinions could shift once they are informed of a candidate's stance on specific cultural topics.