Mortgage rates remain above 7% despite a slight decline
Wall Street Journal · Nov. 5, 2026
The average 30-year mortgage rate remains around 7.22%, keeping monthly payments elevated and homeownership difficult for many buyers even as rates ease slightly.
ANMP Insights
70% of voters told ANMP their household electricity bills had risen. (link)
When voters were forced to choose, prioritizing affordable and reliable energy beat prioritizing renewable energy, 47%-44%. (link)
Support for new local power generation rises sharply when communities receive concrete benefits: 84% support bill discounts, 83% local hiring, and 83% infrastructure improvements. (link)
The lesson for AI buildout is straightforward: voters are open to new infrastructure, but they want reliability and local benefits without shifting the cost onto households. (link)
OpenAI lays out new policy framework for data centers
Business Insider · Nov. 5, 2026
OpenAI is proposing that large data-center operators cover the grid costs they create, protect other ratepayers if projects are delayed or canceled, disclose energy and water use, and give local communities a clearer voice in development decisions.
ANMP Insights
70% of voters said their household electricity bills had risen, making energy affordability a central concern. (link)
84% support new power projects when local residents receive discounts on their electricity bills. (link)
83% support projects that include commitments to hire local workers. (link)
83% support projects that include investments in local infrastructure and community improvements. (link)
Skilled-trades employers are expanding recruitment to address worker shortages
Workforce / apprenticeship coverage · Nov. 4, 2026
Employers facing shortages in construction, installation, repair and other skilled trades are recruiting more women and changing benefits, facilities and workplace practices to widen the talent pipeline.
ANMP Insights
84% support expanding apprenticeship programs where young people earn a salary while learning skilled trades and professions. (link)
82% support tax incentives for businesses that create apprenticeship positions. (link)
48% say skilled tradespeople receive less respect than college graduates, underscoring a cultural barrier to expanding these pathways. (link)
·Only 9% say the federal government should take the lead on apprenticeships; voters more often prefer partnerships among businesses, government and educational institutions. (link)