Joy Reid claims everyday Americans never heard the word ‘inflation’ until GOP made it a campaign issue

MSNBC host Joy Reid said that the word “inflation” is “not part of the normal lexicon” for Americans, and that they are only concerned with the concept because Republicans have taught it to them for political gain.

Reid added that most people would have “never used that word ever in their lives” before this election cycle.

The liberal host’s comments seem to follow growing frustration among mainstream media pundits over polls showing that the biggest issues for voters ahead of the midterm elections are inflation, the economy in general and crime — issues that tend to favor Republican candidates, according to polling.

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MSNBC host Joy Reid claimed that “inflation” wasn’t a common word used by average Americans until recently. (Screenshot/MSNBC)

Reid made her comments while appearing as a guest on Thursday’s episode of “Deadline: White House.” Host Nicolle Wallace began by stating, “You know, what’s notable to me is that Republicans say they’re running on inflation and crime. Republicans have not presented any solutions to their voters on either of those topics.”

She then asked the “ReidOut” anchor how crime and inflation are affecting the midterm races in Florida, where Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican Sen. Marco Rubio have sizable leads over their Democratic opponents.

Although inflation is still near 40-year-high levels at 8.2%, Reid tried dismissing the phenomenon as some elitist economic concept. “The only people I ever hear use the word ‘inflation’ are journalists and economists,” Reid told Wallace, adding “So, that is not part of the normal lexicon of the way people talk.”

She continued: “So, it’s interesting that Republicans are doing something they don’t normally do, which is not use the common tongue, not use just common English like they sort of do on their campaigns like they do with crime.”

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MSNBC host Joy Reid said early last year that the GOP voting legislation was the “end of democracy” in America and the beginning of a strategy reminiscent of apartheid South Africa. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images Ms. Foundation for Women)

Reid argued that it is only because of Republican campaign efforts that the word “inflation” is used by everyday Americans. The politicians have “taught it” to them.

She said, “But what they’ve done is they’ve taught people the word ‘inflation.’ Most people who would’ve never used that word ever in their lives are using it now because they’ve been taught it, including on TV, including in newspapers. They’ve been taught this word.”

Now voters “wrap this word around whatever it is that they really wanna vote — you know, the reasons they really wanna vote.”

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Despite characterizing “inflation” as some specialty word that most wouldn’t have been familiar with prior to this election, Reid mentioned how “expensive” Florida has become. She noted, “This has become a very expensive state. When I moved here — you know, my family moved here because it was an affordable place to buy a house. No more. It’s now more expensive to buy in Miami than it is in New York.” 

However, Reid insisted that the people she hears complaining about that “are not voting Republican.” She said that they are Democrats.

Americans are still dealing with near-record-high inflation. (istock)

Gabriel Hays is an associate editor for Fox News Digital.