Trump Shifts Focus to Affordability as Republicans Face Electoral Challenges

By Theodore Bunker | Wednesday, 05 November 2025 04:45 PM EST

White House deputy chief of staff James Blair revealed that President Donald Trump will prioritize affordability and reducing the cost of living in the coming year, following disappointing Republican performance in recent elections. Blair emphasized that Trump is “very keyed into what’s going on” and acknowledges the need for time to achieve economic recovery, stating, “all the fundamentals are there.”

Blair highlighted the success of democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, who defeated former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in a campaign centered on affordability. “People talk about communists, they can say all these things, but the fact is he was talking about the cost of living,” Blair said.

He also criticized Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli for not addressing power costs during his New Jersey gubernatorial race, noting that while Ciattarelli won the tax vote, “he didn’t address those key issues of affordability very effectively.” Additionally, Blair pointed to Virginia GOP candidate Winsome Earle-Sears, whose campaign focused heavily on transgender issues despite them ranking outside the top five concerns for voters.

Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer with over a decade of experience covering politics, reported this update.