TEXT OF STORY

MARK AUSTIN THOMAS: Today may be a holiday for most of us. But for members of Congress, it’s time to press the flesh back in their districts to try and convince constituents they deserve to keep their jobs in November. But as Scott Tong says, the message lawmakers bring home may not be what’s on voters’ minds.

SCOTT TONG: What’s the biggest issue you face?

Pollsters like that question and these days more and more people cite pocketbook stuff: college costs, retirement security, health care premiums.

Michael Dimock is with the Pew Research Center.

MICHAEL DIMOCK: The American public is very gloomy about the state of the economy today. And that gloom has grown over the past 4-6 years.

All summer Democrats will highlight makings-ends-meet issues – arguing the GOP’s done nothing.

The risk of that? Dimock says Joe Public doesn’t always connect his problems with a government solution.

He says Republicans want to pivot away from the economy and talk Red state, red-meat issues: morality, terrorism, immigration.

DIMOCK: People who want a more law and order approach to immigration care so much more about the issue than people who want guest workers and a path to citizenship.

Both parties will talk gas prices, though it’s unclear what either one can do about it.

In Washington, I’m Scott Tong for Marketplace.