Nearly seven in ten US voters disapprove of President Donald Trump’s handling of inflation and the cost of living, according to a pre-election poll by the Financial Times and Focaldata. Among independent voters, disapproval reached 77%, the survey found ahead of Tuesday’s midterm elections.

Asked what they most wanted to see after the elections, respondents most frequently chose lower prices and a stronger economy. Reducing government corruption ranked second. In the poll, the share of voters who disapproved of Trump’s approach to inflation had risen from 58% in May to 68%.

Voters also gave the opposition an edge on economic issues. Respondents, including independents, were about 14 percentage points more likely to say Democrats were better prepared than Republicans to address inflation and the cost of living. However, they were divided on whether a Democratic majority in Congress would improve the economy.

Higher fuel, food and healthcare costs have become an issue for Republican candidates, some of whom have sought to distance themselves from Trump. The article also points to tariffs and the president’s low approval rating—around 34% in the latest FT polling—as potential challenges for Republicans.

Economic concerns have also surfaced among businesses. In a monthly survey released by the Institute for Supply Management on Monday, two-thirds of responses from US manufacturing companies were negative, despite production growth for a 12th consecutive month. Respondents cited the effects of tariffs and the war with Iran, as well as high equipment and fuel costs and shortages of materials.

Immigration and border security were among the few issues on which Trump and the Republican Party retained an advantage: about half of respondents said Republicans were better prepared to handle the subject. But only 28% included immigration among the three issues they most wanted improved after the midterms. More affordable healthcare and less US involvement in overseas wars were among the other priorities cited.

The online poll was conducted by London-based, nonpartisan research firm Focaldata from October 30 to November 1. It surveyed 2,163 registered voters and has a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points.

Sources: Folha Mundo.