WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- A new round of polling unveiled on Capitol Hill on Tuesday showed broad voter support for raising the federal minimum wage to at least $25 an hour, underscoring how affordability and wage concerns are poised to shape the 2026 election cycle.
"A $25 living wage isn't just a policy idea to me. It's personal. It's the difference between barely hanging on and actually having the chance to build a stable, dignified life," said Kennedy Grant, a college student in Washington.
National pollster Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, presented the findings at a briefing alongside leaders from the National Living Wage for All Coalition and One Fair Wage, workers and policy advocates.
"People understand that there is a basic affordability crisis, and you're only going to do so much on prices, and what you really need to do is something on wages," Lake said.
The data, drawn from competitive swing districts and major U.S. cities, suggested that a simple, universal living-wage proposal has strong bipartisan appeal and outperforms more complex economic messaging.
