Audacy Insights: Economy Tops Issues for Commuters

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, August 12, 2026 | 1:27pm CT

Audacy Insights

Economic concerns are emerging as the dominant issue among voters heading into the 2026 midterm elections, particularly among Americans who regularly commute to work, according to new research commissioned by Audacy.

The study of 1,000 registered U.S. voters, conducted with YouGov, found 54% of likely voters identify the economy and cost of living as the most important issue shaping their vote. Among commuters, that figure rises to 59%, while 73% of commuters who are homeowners with children rank the economy as their top issue.

Audacy said the financial pressures facing commuters are particularly pronounced because of expenses including gasoline, insurance, parking, vehicle maintenance and childcare on top of higher housing, utility and grocery costs. Among commuters who identify the economy as their top election issue, 80% said their money does not go as far as it did a year ago, seven percentage points higher than registered voters overall.

The research also found the regular weekday commute has largely returned. Among Americans working full or part time, 78% commute to work at least two days per week, 73% commute three or more days and 45% travel to work all five days of the traditional workweek.

Audacy cited additional research from Placer.ai showing nationwide office attendance reached a post-pandemic high in June, rising 9% from a year earlier and reaching nearly 80% of pre-pandemic levels. MRI-Simmons estimates 66 million Americans are commuting in 2026.

The company argues those trends create a significant opportunity for radio and podcasts during the fall political advertising season. Nearly 90% of American workers who commute do so by car, according to the post, with AM/FM radio and podcasts accounting for much of ad-supported in-car listening.

Audacy also said radio and podcast listeners are more likely than registered voters overall to rank the economy as their top issue and report a strong intention to vote in November.

"The story of 2026 is really being written on the highway," said Audacy VP of Government and Political Partnerships Haley Tear-Lombardo. "The daily commute is no longer just travel time; it's one of the most important moments for reaching voters."

Audacy pointed to Nielsen case studies from the 2022 midterms to illustrate radio's potential incremental reach. In Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate race, John Fetterman's radio advertising extended the reach of his television campaign by 10%, adding 676,000 unique voters. In Georgia's Senate runoff, Raphael Warnock's radio campaign extended his television reach by 18%, adding 659,000 unique voters.

The Audacy post concludes that the combination of economic concerns, increased commuting and voter engagement gives radio and podcasts an opportunity to play a significant role in political advertising during the 2026 midterm campaign.