Sen. John Kennedy, R-LA
Senator John Kennedy isn’t buying the narrative that President Donald Trump’s political coalition is fracturing, but he has a blunt warning for his Republican colleagues: Start fixing the cost of living or risk ignoring the American people.
During an appearance on Fox News’s “The Sunday Briefing,” the Louisiana Republican forcefully rejected suggestions that voters who returned Trump to the White House are now abandoning the GOP over high prices. However, Kennedy admitted that the anxiety families feel is real, painting a vivid picture of "moms and dads" who lie awake at night worrying about bills.
His solution wasn’t subtle. Kennedy argued th…
Sen. John Kennedy, R-LA
Senator John Kennedy isn’t buying the narrative that President Donald Trump’s political coalition is fracturing, but he has a blunt warning for his Republican colleagues: Start fixing the cost of living or risk ignoring the American people.
During an appearance on Fox News’s “The Sunday Briefing,” the Louisiana Republican forcefully rejected suggestions that voters who returned Trump to the White House are now abandoning the GOP over high prices. However, Kennedy admitted that the anxiety families feel is real, painting a vivid picture of "moms and dads" who lie awake at night worrying about bills.
His solution wasn’t subtle. Kennedy argued the tools to fix the economy are already available, but the political will in the upper chamber is missing.
“I don’t think the coalition is falling apart. I think that when the American people speak, you better listen to them,” Kennedy said. “What I’m telling you is there are things we can do that the president can’t do but, in order to do it, the United States Senate has to get up off its ice-cold lazy butt.”
Kennedy preemptively shot down the common excuse that Democratic opposition makes legislation impossible. He pointed to budget reconciliation—a parliamentary procedure that allows certain spending and tax bills to bypass the filibuster and pass with a simple majority—as the obvious path forward.
“You can’t use the excuse, ‘Well, the Democrats won’t go along with it.’ Of course they won’t. But we don’t need their votes,” he noted.
The Pivot to 2026
The Senator’s urgency comes as the GOP recalibrates following the 2025 elections, where Democrats leveraged affordability concerns to secure key wins. While President Trump previously brushed off the affordability crisis as a Democratic talking point, the administration appears to be shifting gears.
James Blair, White House Deputy Chief of Staff, recently told Politico that the President is “very keyed into” the economic situation. Blair signaled a strategic pivot, noting that while economic turnarounds take time, Trump remains focused on stabilizing prices ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
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Conservative observers see a path to victory if the party can own the economic narrative. Radio host Hugh Hewitt, appearing on Fox News on Friday, argued that energy policy is the linchpin. According to Hewitt, recent moves by the administration to expand domestic energy output are already impacting gas prices—a metric that often dictates voter sentiment.
“I think if the message remains ‘Affordability decides elections,’ Republicans are going to like next November,” Hewitt told host Bret Baier, citing the work of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
For Kennedy, however, waiting for midterm messaging isn’t enough. The mandate, he argues, is immediate.
“The president and the United States Senate need to be working on things that moms and dads worry about,” Kennedy said.
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