The issue CEOs can't afford to ignore

Data: Brunswick Group and Echelon Insights; Chart: Sara Wise/Axios

CEOs face an increasingly skeptical American public that's laser-focused on affordability and fairness, according to polling from the Brunswick Group and Echelon Insights provided first to Axios.

Why it matters: With the midterms less than 100 days away, the results show corporate leaders need to build trust through consistency and neutrality — rather than trying to chase political headwinds.

By the numbers: 41% of Americans surveyed said a topic linked to affordability (cost of living, the economy, jobs) is the biggest issue facing the country right now.

Asked what they'd tell CEOs about life in America today, a quarter of respondents pointed to high costs, while another 23% cited greed or inequality.

Between the lines: This is all happening as upcoming AI IPOs could mint some of the richest people in human history, even as those same executives have walked back their predictions of mass job loss from the technology.

Even still, 87% of Americans think our economic system works well for large companies — but only about half think it does the same for people like them.

The bottom line: Even in our age of insane political volatility, it's still the economy, stupid.

The full results. ...