Republican and Independent Voters Share Concerns about Tariffs Raising Costs
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2025 | Contact: [email protected]
As the Trump administration continues to implement across the board tariffs and tease even more tariffs, Tariffs Cost US announced the results from a new survey conducted by nonpartisan Morning Consult.
North Carolina voters across party lines are deeply concerned about the economic consequences of tariffs, amidst a backdrop where 90% are concerned about inflation, and 78% say their cost of living is going up. The data show that most voters anticipate higher prices and disruptions to industries that are central to the state’s economy.
Key findings include:
- 75% of North Carolina voters expect the cost of goods they purchase to increase because of tariffs, including 66% of Republicans and 78% of Independents.
- More than three-in-four North Carolina voters (79%), including 79% of Independents and 68% of Republicans, find it very concerning or somewhat concerning that tariffs will increase costs for middle-class families.
- 74% of North Carolina voters – including 72% of Independents and 62% of Republicans – find it very concerning or somewhat concerning that tariffs are a new tax on everything we buy.
- Three-in-four North Carolina voters (70%) say they are trying to spend less money because of tariffs.
- A majority (54%) of North Carolina voters believe that American consumers will be harmed the most by tariffs and/or a resulting trade war. And, a majority of Republicans (60%) believe American consumers, businesses, and/or farmers will be hurt the most.
- Just 25% of voters support using tariffs as a long-term economic strategy, and only 32% are willing to accept higher prices for a year or more.
- Two-thirds of North Carolina voters (65%) – including 73% of Independents – believe that policymakers should prioritize fighting inflation to lower the cost of goods, compared with one-in-three (35%) who believe that policymakers should prioritize using tariffs to strengthen American manufacturing and to give the US leverage on immigration.
- Voters in the state also expect impacts to important local industries: 51% of voters believe the automotive industry will be negatively affected, and 50% say the same about homebuilding.
- Three-in-five North Carolina voters believe the Research Triangle will be hurt by tariffs and/or a trade war (60%), including three quarters of Gen Z voters (76%) and a plurality of N.C. Republicans (44%).
The survey was fielded March 22-27, 2025. The survey has a margin of error of 4 percentage points. To read the full finds of the survey visit: tariffscostus.com/tariff-survey-north-carolina/.
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Tariffs Cost US is a new campaign dedicated to providing the public with reliable, comprehensive information about global trade and tariffs, and their impact on both businesses and consumers.
