Rural voters prioritize cost of living, health care costs for 2026 midterms

A new AP/KFF poll of 2,241 registered rural voters shows cost of living (69%), health care costs (56%), and government fraud (54%) are the top issues they want 2026 midterm candidates to address, ahead of immigration and Iran conflict. This signals pocketbook concerns dominate rural electoral priorities, potentially shaping campaign platforms and resource allocation.