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50+ voters are focused on rising prices for groceries and gas, including 21% who are up for grabs and could vote either Democrat or Republican.
October 19, 2026 - WASHINGTON – AARP has released new polling highlighting the outsized role older Americans are poised to play in deciding key congressional races shaping the 2026 midterm cycle. In battleground states across the country, older voters are focused on rising prices -- specifically for groceries and gas -- in the lead-up to election day.
“Older voters are the nation’s most reliable voters. They decide elections, so candidates can’t afford to overlook them,” said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer. “Older voters want leaders who will protect Social Security and Medicare, support family caregivers, and ensure everyone can age with financial independence and dignity.”
Older voters have historically made up the majority of the electorate in elections across the country. According to exit polls, 50+ voters cast 55% of all ballots in 2024 and 59% in 2022, and more than 6 in 10 turned out in the last midterm (2022), compared to just 3 in 10 people under 30.
AARP’s survey suggests this high level of engagement is likely to continue; 83% of voters 50+ said they were extremely motivated to vote in November, compared to 66% of voters under 50. Approximately 21% of voters 50+ are “persuadable” on the generic ballot, meaning they are not definitely voting for either the Republican or the Democrat, emphasizing their potential importance for candidates looking to gain an edge.
In the 43 congressional districts rated “Toss Up” or “Lean Republican/Democrat” by the Cook Political Report as of October 5, Democrats have a narrow 3-point (49% -46%) lead on the generic ballot, with 5% of voters undecided. In 2024, President Trump won these districts by 6 points. However, trends differ by age; Republicans are up by 10 points (53%-43%) among voters 50+, while Democrats are ahead by 26 points with voters under 50 (60%-34%).
Persuadable voters are competitive, both overall and among 50+ voters. Democrats lead by 6-points (42%-36%) among persuadable voters overall, while Republicans lead by just 1-point (39%-38%) among those 50 and older, 23% of whom are undecided.
AARP’s polling found that rising prices and affordability is the top issue for target congressional district (TCD) voters 50+, followed by threats to democracy and then immigration. For persuadable voters 50 and older, the top three issues for determining their vote are rising prices and affordability, Social Security and Medicare, and taxes.
Among TCD voters age 50+:
- 58% say Social Security is or will be a major source of income for their household, and 94% say that they are more likely to support a candidate who will make sure they’ll receive the Social Security they’ve earned through a lifetime of work.
- 85% say they would be more likely to support a candidate who would expand Medicare's ability to negotiate drug prices to help lower prescription drug costs.
- 50% are or have been family caregivers, and 77% say they would be more likely to back a candidate who would provide a tax credit to help cover costs for unpaid family caregivers.
- 80% say rising prices are an important factor deciding their vote, with costs for groceries and gasoline clocking in as the top two biggest price concerns.
AARP commissioned the bipartisan polling team of Fabrizio Ward (R) and Impact Research (D) to conduct a survey of 1,368 likely voters in the 43 Congressional Districts rated Toss Up or Lean Republican/Democrat by the Cook Political Report spread evenly across the 43 districts. The survey was done between October 1-5, 2026. The interviews were conducted via live interviewer on cell phone (40%) and landline (15%), as well as SMS to-web (45%). Interviews were offered in English and Spanish. The sample was randomly drawn from the voter list. The margin of sampling error at the 95% confidence level for the 1,368 sample is ±2.7%.
View the full survey results at www.aarp.org/cd2026voterpoll. Additional information about AARP’s 2026 battleground polling series is available at www.aarp.org/voterpolls2026 and www.aarp.org/cdelectionpoll.
About AARP
AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to the 125 million Americans 50-plus and their families: health and financial security, and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest-circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and the AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit aarp.org, aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPLatino and @AARPadvocates on social media.
Source: AARP
