Voters say frustration over inflation, prices of groceries influenced voting decision
NEW JERSEY (WABC) -- One of the big issues on the minds of voters is frustration over inflation.
Economists say it's going down, so why are we still paying more at the grocery store?
Items like cereal, milk, meat, fruits, and vegetables have risen by double digits since 2020.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the New York City, New Jersey metro area, the price for cereals and bakery products is up nearly 26 percent from 2020.
Dairy products are up more than 15 percent, meats, and other proteins are up almost 22 percent, fruits and vegetables 11.1 percent, non-alcoholic beverages nearly 18 percent, and other food 23.1 percent. The cost of eating out has gone up nearly 24 percent.
Patrick Murray, the director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute says the economy drove many price-minded people to the polls.
"And I think the key is they're looking at what they paid, what they paid in their grocery bills, it's higher than it was 4 years ago," Murray said.
Jeanette Rosado said prices have been nothing to be happy about over the last few years.
"I'm hoping everything they say is gonna happen all these changes, the economy's gonna be a lot better. Taxes. Everything," Rosado said.
"At the end of the day you couldn't fight underly current of the economy," a voter said.
According to New Jersey's Board of Elections, Trump won Passaic County. Joe Biden won it back in 2020.
Shoppers are hoping the new shift in leadership will bring down the prices of food.
"They're too high. I got a business.. and it's too high," Joe Capalbo said.
Capalbo was hoping it would be a Harris Administration that would be tackling high prices. Now he just wants the incoming administration to help him out.
"So we'll see what happens ya gotta wait to see what happens," Capalbo said.
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