A new poll suggests rising living costs are a far greater concern for US voters than transgender issues, despite efforts by some Republican politicians to make restrictions on trans rights a central issue ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
The GLAAD-commissioned survey found that only 8 per cent of voters identified transgender issues as a leading concern. By comparison, 44 per cent of registered voters named inflation or increasing costs as their number-one priority.
Seven in 10 respondents said they would be more likely to support a candidate focused on reducing the cost of living and creating jobs than one concentrating on transgender people through restrictions involving healthcare or government identification.
Nearly three-quarters also said they would support a candidate who believes everyone deserves the freedom to live without fear or discrimination.
The survey found widespread scepticism about politicians’ motives for repeatedly targeting trans communities. Sixty-five per cent of respondents agreed that political leaders often use transgender people as scapegoats to distract voters from more pressing issues.
The poll was conducted online by MRI-Simmons between 16 March and 2 April 2026 and surveyed 5,010 US adults. Its results were demographically balanced and weighted to reflect the national population, before being combined with data from the MRI-Simmons USA Study of more than 52,000 adults.
Support remains for corporate Pride participation
The research also examined public attitudes towards businesses that support LGBTQ+ communities.
Sixty-eight per cent of respondents said companies should be free to publicly support LGBTQ+ people during Pride if they chose to do so.
A further 62 per cent said they were comfortable with brands allowing employees to participate in Pride parades, while more than three-quarters said they trusted companies that stood by their values even when doing so attracted controversy.
The findings arrive as some businesses reduce their visible Pride campaigns, sponsorships and diversity initiatives amid political pressure and organised conservative backlash.
GLAAD president and chief executive Sarah Kate Ellis said the survey demonstrated that voters wanted political leaders to concentrate on practical economic concerns rather than divisive attacks on marginalised communities.
“These results confirm what most Americans already believe: we are at our best when we treat our friends, family, and neighbours with basic dignity and respect,” Ellis said.
“Voters are tired of divisive culture wars that distract from the real issues keeping families up at night like the skyrocketing costs of housing, fuel, healthcare, and groceries.”
The results indicate that while transgender rights remain a highly visible subject in US political campaigning, the issue ranks far below household affordability in voters’ stated priorities.
They also suggest that attempts to turn trans people into a defining midterm issue may have limited appeal among an electorate more concerned with the everyday costs of housing, food, fuel and healthcare.
