Steve Cortes, Founder of the League of American Workers, has said that leaders should acknowledge ongoing economic challenges while emphasizing improvements in real wages, energy trends, and a strategic plan for future prosperity. His remarks were made on the social media platform X.
“Don’t pretend that things are fine,” said Cortes. “They aren’t. But point out the very tangible growth in Real Wages, the positive trajectories for things like Energy. Make the case for the solid plan and persuade the people that sunnier economic days lie ahead!”
Inflation has decreased from its peak in 2022; however, prices for essential goods such as groceries, housing, gas, and utilities remain significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels. Many Americans report feeling financially strained. According to polls, most voters rate the economy as “fair” or “poor,” with inflation or the cost of living being their primary concern. This disparity between economic growth and public sentiment is influencing campaign messages focused on wages and energy costs, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
From September 2024 to September 2025, real average hourly earnings for U.S. workers increased by only 0.8% after adjusting for inflation. Separate analysis by the JPMorgan Chase Institute indicates that real incomes remained largely unchanged from March 2024 to March 2025. Since 2019, income gains have been modest, with lower-income workers experiencing a rise of about 6%, compared to approximately 1% for top earners. These figures illustrate why many workers feel their pay is barely keeping up with rising prices, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and JPMorgan Chase Institute.
Gasoline prices have decreased from a national high of around $5 per gallon in June 2022 to approximately the low-$3 range in 2025, providing some relief at fuel stations. However, households are facing increasing power bills; retail electricity prices reached new highs in 2025, averaging about 18.2 cents per kilowatt-hour across major U.S. cities—several cents higher than in previous years. This combination of cheaper gasoline but more expensive electricity contributes to voter dissatisfaction over energy costs, based on data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration summarized by Reuters.
Cortes is also President of the League of American Workers and serves as a senior political advisor to CatholicVote. He previously worked as a senior advisor to President Trump and JD Vance and has been a commentator for Fox News and CNN. Cortes frequently publishes documentaries and columns on cortesinvestigates.com.
