# Undecided voters weigh economy, war and distrust > Sixteen swing voters tell NBC News they're frustrated with both parties and focused on cost of living and the Iran war. - Title: Undecided voters weigh economy, war and distrust · NBC News - Summary: Sixteen swing voters tell NBC News they're frustrated with both parties and focused on cost of living and the Iran war. Five percent of voters remain… - Keywords: undecided voters, 2026 midterm elections, cost of living, inflation, iran war, congress control, independent voters, economic frustration, politics, news, Undecided, voters - Source: NBC News — https://nbcnews.com/politics/2026-election/16-undecided-voters-are-weighing-2026-election-options-rcna599899 - Author: Bridget Bowman - Published: 2026-10-01T09:00:42+00:00 - Read time: 3 min - Topics: undecided voters, 2026 midterm elections, cost of living, inflation, iran war, congress control, independent voters, economic frustration, politics, news ## Five percent still undecided An NBC News poll found five percent of voters surveyed last month were unsure which party they wanted controlling Congress after this year's elections. ## James Morton's dilemma James Morton, a sixty-seven-year-old retired truck driver in Colorado, says Democrats have gone too far left toward socialism while Republicans are globalists who don't care about working-class people. > gone too far to the left towards socialism ## Cost of living is everything Morton, who voted for Donald Trump in twenty twenty-four, said his decision will come down to one thing: getting the cost of things back down and inflation under control. > The No. 1 thing is getting the cost of things back down, inflation under control, and pretty much that's it ## Voters rank their priorities In the latest NBC News survey, voters ranked cost of living and inflation as the most important issues facing the country, followed by government corruption and threats to democracy. ## Aidan Valenzuela's struggle Aidan Valenzuela, a nineteen-year-old security worker in Texas, said he hasn't decided whom to support in his state's hotly contested races for governor and the Senate. > I don't like how expensive things are, and I don't think anyone does ## Joanne's medication costs Joanne, a seventy-two-year-old Vermont independent who works for a heating company, said her husband relies on multiple medications including insulin, which is pretty expensive and leaves nothing for anything else. > It's pretty expensive and leaves nothing for anything else ## Luke Melanson eats less Luke Melanson, forty-nine, of Louisiana, retired from construction work, said the rising cost of groceries has changed how he shops and he's eating less food because he can only afford so much. > I'm not eating as much. I'm eating less food because I can only afford so much ## Melanson wants working people Melanson, who considers himself a libertarian and doesn't identify with either political party, wants to see new candidates who can personally relate to his financial position, like a plumber or teacher. > I want a plumber. I want someone that ran a smaller business, like a Kroger's. A teacher. ## Darien Thompson's gas crisis Darien Thompson, a twenty-five-year-old unarmed security guard at a mall in South Carolina, sees gas as the biggest financial woe, saying the cost of his commute takes a mental load when he's only making so much. > it's going to cost this much to get to work and back, and I'm only making this much ## Thompson blames petty squabbles Thompson doesn't see any current politicians stepping up to tackle issues in a way that has earned his support, saying politicians are getting into petty squabbles while none of us can afford houses. > none of us can afford houses ## Ibraham backs Sherrod Brown Ibraham, a forty-two-year-old truck driver in Ohio not registered with either party, plans to back Democratic former Senator Sherrod Brown in the Senate race, driven almost entirely by surging diesel prices. ## Ibraham's diesel shock Ibraham said his weekly diesel costs have jumped from two thousand dollars to three thousand five hundred or three thousand seven hundred dollars, spending an extra fifteen hundred dollars on diesel every week. > I've been driving for nine years. I've never seen anything like it. Never. Never, ever. ## Voting against Republicans Ibraham described his support for Brown as more about opposing Republicans than endorsing Democrats, blaming the GOP-controlled White House and Congress for current economic struggles. > It's not about Brown. It's just voting against the Republicans for what they're doing. ## Aaron L. checks Trump Aaron L., a thirty-year-old California independent who works in tech, said he will probably support a Democrat this time around just so there's some check and balances in place against Trump. > I will probably support [a] Democrat this time around just so there's some check and balances in place ## Kevin splits his ticket Kevin, a thirty-five-year-old civil engineer in Massachusetts who voted for Trump in twenty twenty-four, is leaning toward supporting Republican Mike Minogue for governor and Democratic Senator Ed Markey for re-election. > It goes back to the checks and balances ## Kaleb Saracino opposes Iran war Kaleb Saracino, twenty-one, of Nevada, doesn't like how many resources are being poured into the Iran war or the idea that the U.S. is fighting there on behalf of Israel. > The cost of groceries, the cost of gas, the cost of living have all gone up because of these endless wars ## Connor Woodring sees no difference Connor Woodring, a twenty-two-year-old independent from Colorado who supported Trump in twenty twenty-four, said both parties are one on the same side of the same coin and it doesn't matter which side you vote in. > They're one on the same side of the same coin, basically. ## Much can change by November Woodring, a registered independent who doesn't like any candidates in his area and prefers to vote for someone not in either major party, said there's a lot that can happen between now and November. > there's a lot that can happen between now and November ## Key takeaway Five percent of voters remain undecided on which party should control Congress, citing high costs and dissatisfaction with both Republicans and Democrats.