New Poll: New Jersey Voters Say Tariffs Are Driving Prices Higher and Hurting American Consumers

More Likely to Support Candidates Who Oppose Tariffs

As the Trump Administration continues to implement across-the-board tariffs and New Jersey voters get ready to head to the polls for the Gubernatorial race, Tariffs Cost US announced the results of a new survey conducted by nonpartisan pollster Morning Consult.

New Jersey voters across party lines are feeling the effects of inflation and are deeply concerned about how tariffs will further raise prices and hurt the economy. The data show strong majorities expect higher prices, slower job growth, and a more difficult environment for small businesses. As a result, New Jersey voters, including an overwhelming margin of independents, are weighing a candidates’ position on tariffs when voting.

Key findings include:

• 89% of New Jersey voters are somewhat or very concerned about inflation, including 91% of Independents.

• Among the most impacted categories of household spending, 84% say the cost of groceries is going up; 82% say the cost of housing is going up.
• 73% of Independents say costs of goods will increase because of tariffs being implemented.
• 63% of voters say the worst is yet to come, expecting more costs ahead, less jobs.

As a result, New Jerseyans are pulling back on spending:

• 80% of voters say they are trying to spend less money.
• 64% say they are avoiding large purchases because of the impact from the tariffs announced earlier this year.

Despite a concerted effort to spin tariffs as being paid for by other countries, New Jersey voters understand tariffs cost us:

• 73% of voters believe that American consumers, businesses and farmers are hurt most by tariffs versus 11% foreign countries (including 66% of Independents).

Tariffs are playing a major role in the November 4th election for Governor with 53% of New Jersey voters more likely to support a candidate for Governor who opposed tariffs, including an overwhelming majority among self-identified Independents.
The survey of 700 registered voters was fielded October 9–12, 2025, and has a margin of error of ±4 percentage points. To read the full findings of the survey, click here.

What the candidates are saying:

Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Democratic nominee for governor:

"Donald Trump’s tariffs are a tax hike, plain and simple. They are raising prices on businesses, costing the average family $2,400 each year, and putting New Jerseyans out of work — and Jack is going right along with him. I hear from New Jerseyans about how the rising costs of housing, utilities, and healthcare are keeping people up at night. I’m running for governor to make sure families can afford to live here, while Jack's running to serve Donald Trump, even if that means causing New Jerseyans, in his own words, ‘short-term pain.’ That ‘pain’ is here now, New Jersey has lost 12,000 jobs in just the last two months because of these tariffs.

“And yes, here in New Jersey, we understand what Trump’s tariffs mean: higher costs and less opportunity for working people trying to get by. Jack has a serious problem — you can’t claim to be for a more affordable New Jersey and at the same time line up behind Trump’s Tariffs. And we understand where Jack’s loyalties lie, with Trump, not with us.”

Jack Ciattarelli, Republican nominee for governor:

“You can’t expect people to understand the implications of that because it does get very, very complicated. But, you know, tip our cap to the president”

“[Tariffs are] Not gonna have the impact people think.”

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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.