Breaking Points: Inflation Surges as Gas Prices Shake the Midterms

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Inflation is back in the spotlight, and the new CPI report shows consumer prices rising at a 3.7 percent annual rate.

What's really driving this?

Energy costs are the main culprit. Gasoline prices surged 9.1 percent, and as Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti frame it, the economic situation is becoming significantly worse for everyone. But here's the thing—this isn't just an economic story. Right, it's deeply political too. Higher energy costs are creating major problems for Republicans across the country, and the pressure is showing up in places that once looked safe. Vermont is a perfect example. That's fascinating, because Phil Scott is a popular Republican governor, yet he's suddenly facing a much tougher race than expected.

A super PAC that had backed him has had to return with help from the Republican Governors' Association, while Democratic nominee Amanda Janu gains ground in the polls. If a popular incumbent like Phil Scott is in danger, almost no Republican is safe. So when Janu joined the program, what did she say about how these national inflation numbers connect to daily life in Vermont? She explained that the spike in oil and gas prices ripples through the entire economy, pushing up food, heating, and housing costs. Vermont is facing a severe cost-of-living crisis across healthcare, housing, food, and energy.

Her argument is that affordability cannot be solved by waiting for the market to fix itself.

So what's her solution? She wants to move upstream toward universal healthcare, invest in permanently affordable housing instead of subsidizing unaffordable stock, and expand renewable energy and local food production. She also points to Vermont's rising property taxes as part of the affordability squeeze. Housing seems like a particularly critical issue. What's her position there? She criticizes what she calls a "deficit mindset," saying Vermont has become too dependent on tourism and outside investment. Instead of catering to luxury second homes and short-term rentals, she wants to tax private equity more heavily and protect housing for year-round residents. What about education? That's usually a major issue in these races. She rejects school closures as an attack on public education and backs the community school model, where schools also support childcare, food access, and adult education. Building on that point, she says rural voters aren't asking for partisan slogans— they want strong communities, small schools, and local businesses. So by the end, what defines her campaign? One core idea: decline is not inevitable. Her platform is about protecting what Vermonters love, producing what they need, and refusing to accept that erosion must be managed rather than reversed.