Inflation heats up again, data shows, days before midterm elections where cost of living dominates

FILE – The children's shoe section is seen at a Goodwill store in Roseville, Minn., Aug. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt, File) (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt, File) WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation gauge closely monitored by the Federal Reserve accelerated last month, showing that prices remain elevated less than a week before midterm elections in which affordability concerns have become a central…