DAVID MARCUS: Why rising prices may not cost Republicans as much as you think

A burrito went viral because someone did the math on how much a Chipotle order costs now versus five years ago, and suddenly that's the barometer for where Gen Z's head is at heading into 2026. Fine. But the reason that debate spread wasn't partisan outrage, it was recognition. Everyone's done that math in their own head at some point this year, whether it's groceries, rent, or gas. The question David Marcus is really asking is whether that recognition translates into blame, and specifically blame that sticks to Republicans.

The honest answer is probably not as much as Democrats are hoping. Voters under 30 didn't build their economic worldview watching Reagan-era inflation fights. They built it during a pandemic, a stimulus binge, and years of prices climbing while wages limped behind. That's a Biden-era hangover, not something that started the day a new administration walked in. People are perfectly capable of being furious about their burrito bill while still understanding who ran up the tab.

That doesn't mean Republicans get a free pass just because the anger predates them. Inflation fatigue doesn't expire on a schedule that's convenient for whoever's currently in charge. If prices are still biting in a year, voters won't grade on a curve for effort or good intentions. They'll want to see actual relief, not just an explanation of why it's someone else's fault.

Still, there's something to the idea that affordability alone isn't the silver bullet Democrats think it is. A generation raised on economic disappointment doesn't necessarily reward the party promising to relitigate the last five years. They reward whoever looks like they're actually fixing something now. That's the bar. Not who inherited the mess, but who's cleaning it up.