The 2024 elections saw the Democratic Party lose both the Senate and White House to Republicans, as President-elect Donald Trump prepares for inauguration. Additionally, Democrats are unlikely to regain control of the House of Representatives. In a bid to help the party avoid another “adverse” election in two years, Jeffries pointed to the cost of living being unaddressed by his party as a major contributor to its losses.

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“I think it’s definitely clear that the economy, inflation, and to a lesser extent, issues connected to the border played an outsized role in how many voters made their electoral decisions, particularly as it relates to their support for the former president,” Jeffries said on MSNBC. 

Jeffries also contended voters had an “anti-incumbent” mindset when casting their ballots for Senate and House candidates. However, he stressed that the Democratic Party needs to be “clear-eyed” to properly assess what it can do to protect the middle class in future elections.

In addition to addressing the cost of living, Jeffries argued he and his other members need to show voters that they are “there” for those financially struggling, calling this “the clear lesson” the party needs to take away.

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Like Jeffries, The View co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin suggested that the economy and the cost of living is what drove many voters to support Trump. She also contended that financially struggling voters became annoyed at politicians insisting the economy was better off under President Joe Biden, and chose to support Trump despite thinking “he’s a jerk.”

In October, the month before the election, inflation rose two-tenths of a percentage point to 2.6% for the year ending in October, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The rise marks the first time annual inflation rose in six months.