Each election cycle, Americans head to the polls and cast their ballots for the candidates they believe will best address the country’s most pressing concerns. This cycle, the issues that drove voters to the polls focused on basic aspects of Americans’ lives, such as gas prices or the cost of groceries. It was concerns like those discussed over family dinner that decided the election — aptly referred to as kitchen table issues.
Americans voted for candidates who spoke to the same issues they were facing at home, around the kitchen table. In Indiana, Governor-elect Mike Braun (R-IN) spoke to those concerns, from the campaign trail to his victory speech. In an ad titled “Kitchen Table,” Braun cited his top priorities as lowering energy bills, cutting property taxes, and improving schools — the same things he and his wife discussed around their own dinner table. This was a message that clearly resonated with the Hoosier state, and Braun defeated his challenger with a resounding victory. The very next day, he outlined his priorities as governor; he called it a “platter of opportunity” and pledged to be “focused on the kitchen table issues I’ve been talking about.”
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As two-thirds of the United States’ middle class struggle financially, it’s clear that Americans want leaders who understand, validate, and are ready to address their concerns. In Arizona’s Senate race, Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) often touched on his childhood experiences being raised by a single mother and made families’ concerns about making ends meet a central theme of his campaign. Following his victory in Arizona, Senator-elect Gallego detailed the power of speaking about those issues, saying, “People really felt the pain of the economy, of not being able to buy what they wanted, not being able to buy a house or even get an apartment. What we needed to do was make sure people knew I felt what they felt.”
With inflation most often felt at the grocery store and the gas pump, it’s no surprise to see so many agriculture and bioethanol champions elected or re-elected to office. With a track record of delivering results for their constituents and supporting our farmers and rural communities, it is easy to see why Americans want to send individuals like Representative Tom Emmer (R-MN-06) or Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) back to Congress. The same goes for officials entering new or freshman positions, like Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) and Representative Kelly Armstrong (R-ND), who will serve as their respective states’ Governor.
For biofuels, many of our champions focused on these kitchen table issues and held their Congressional spots. Supporting biofuels, especially higher blends like E15, lowers fuel prices and creates demand for locally grown grain — directly benefiting families, farmers, and the broader economy. Biofuels are truly a bipartisan and kitchen table win.
Ultimately, kitchen table issues represent the reality for millions of Americans. In this election, voters sent a clear message: they want leaders who are focused, above all else, on the economy, the cost of living, access to housing, and other basic aspects of everyday life. Candidates who addressed these struggles earned the trust and support of their constituents. With these concerns at the forefront of voters’ minds, it is crucial that elected officials now make them their top priorities in office.
