At a time when voters are struggling to afford basic needs, they are explicitly connecting macroeconomic policy to their personal finances, according to the foundation. The survey found 85% of voters are worried the debt’s impact on interest rates is hiking up borrowing costs, directly affecting their ability to afford car loans, mortgages, and credit card payments.
“Kitchen table cost-of-living issues are taking center stage this election year, and voters see that America’s rising national debt is making their own lives more costly,” said Michael A. Peterson, CEO of the Peterson Foundation. “Whether it’s their car loans or grocery bills, Americans are rightly concerned about inflation, and the growing federal deficit is only making things worse”. Peterson added stabilizing the debt should be a core issue for any leader who wants to improve affordability and economic growth, noting voters are demanding solutions this campaign season.
For political candidates, this economic anxiety poses a massive electoral threat. A striking 83% of voters consider a candidate’s plan for the national debt to be a “deciding factor” at the ballot box. Even more critically for campaign strategists, 72% of voters say they would consider crossing party lines to support a candidate they do not typically align with if that candidate had a clear strategy to tackle the debt.
This willingness to abandon party loyalty is most pronounced among younger demographics, with 79% of voters aged 18 to 44 open to switching parties, compared to 65% of those aged 65 and older. Of course, the debt is growing the way it is because the aging baby boomer generation is essentially voting themselves cushy benefits into their retirements, past the point when the U.S. economy can generate enough revenue to pay for them each year.
This widespread pessimism is reflected in the U.S. Fiscal Confidence Index, which dipped to 48 in February 2026, down from 50 in January and 51 in December 2025. Measured on a scale where 100 is neutral, the index highlights a deeply negative national outlook. The sub-index score for “concern” sits at a deeply pessimistic 45, while the “priority” score has plummeted to 26, indicating intense demand for elected leaders to make the long-term debt a top legislative focus.
Broad agreement exists that addressing the debt should be a top-three priority for lawmakers, a sentiment shared by 79% of voters overall, including 85% of Republicans and 75% of Democrats. Furthermore, a growing majority of 59% now believe the country is on the wrong track regarding the debt.
With 70% of voters eager to hear more from candidates over the next month about how they will tackle the debt’s impact on the cost of living, politicians face a clear mandate: Fix the nation’s finances to protect the family budget.
