AMID POLITICAL AD BOMBARDMENT, SAUSAGE DECLARES ITS CANDIDACY… FOR DINNER

New Johnsonville / Harris Poll research finds political overload is making everyday dinner decisions, feel more difficult

The Johnsonville-backed candidate hits the campaign trail across the nation's most politically overserved cities, offering up delicious, affordable dinner solutions, and a partnership with Hunger Free America to combat food insecurity

SHEBOYGAN FALLS, Wis., Sept. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As political advertising floods screens, phones and mailboxes ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, Johnsonville is entering the race for Dinner 2026 with a candidate of its own: Sausage. Backed by new research commissioned by Johnsonville suggesting Americans are overwhelmed by both politics and meal planning, Sausage is running on a core promise to simplify dinner decisions.

Sausage enters the race at a critical moment. Johnsonville's National Temperature Check, conducted by The Harris Poll, reveals Americans are feeling overserved on politics, leaving less mental bandwidth for everyday decisions like what to make for dinner:

• 81 percent of Americans agree our society has become too political.
• Two in three Americans (66%) agree the 2026 midterm elections will make politics and news even more overwhelming.
• About three-quarters of Americans (74%) say they hate political advertising, and 84 percent think their community could make better use of the estimated $10 billion being spent on political advertising in the U.S. during this year's midterm election.
• One in three Americans (31%) say they have been so distracted by current events during the past year that they forgot to come up with an idea for dinner at least once.
• More than half (53%) say they hate deciding what to make for dinner every night.
• More than half (53%) wish someone would just give them an idea of what to make dinner.

"As a candidate, Sausage is focused on kitchen table issues," said Jamie Schmelzer, Vice President of Marketing at Johnsonville. "Specifically, what are we putting on the dinner table tonight? Sausage has a strong record: it's delicious, versatile and a great value for feeding family, friends and neighbors. Americans have enough decisions to make. This is one Sausage can take off their plate."

Running on a strict platform of flavor, flexibility, and affordability, Sausage will make its case to home cooks across the country this fall with a 30-second TV spot (LINK), yard signs, billboards, merchandise, new recipes, and community events designed to feed the people. Whether it's Johnsonville's smoked beef rope, ground Italian, smoked Beddar With Cheddar links, or turkey breakfast patties, Sausage boasts deliciously pre-seasoned, non-partisan appeal.

All candidates ask for donations, and Sausage is no different. Instead of using donations to fund more ads, they're using them to fight food insecurity in America. Through a partnership with Hunger Free America, Johnsonville is pledging $100,000 to fight food insecurity and is encouraging its Sausage constituents to join the cause through tax-deductible donations.

"Hunger Free America enthusiastically endorses Sausage for Dinner, as well as for breakfast and lunch, as part of an overall balanced diet," said Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, a national, non-partisan nonprofit organization. "At a time when more than 48 million Americans – including one in five U.S. children— live in homes that can't afford enough food, we are extraordinarily grateful that Johnsonville is making a generous donation to our vital work to end hunger in America. Elections, voting and civic participation are essential parts of American democracy, but we agree with America that communities can make better use of political advertising funds. Together, with Sausage, we can make America hunger free."

Consumers can donate to Hunger Free America at Sausage for Dinner 2026 or join the antihunger project at https://volunteer.hungerfreeamerica.org. For the first 100 "Sausage for Dinner" donors, Johnsonville will send a limited-edition campaign swag pack stocked with an apron, hat, oven mitt, buttons, and bumper stickers.

While Sausage aims to reach dinner tables across the nation, the campaign trail begins in Grand Rapids, Michigan, one of the country's busiest political advertising markets, where spending is projected to increase 75 percent over the 2024 general election, according to research from AdImpact and Kantar. "Sausage for Dinner" lawn signs are already appearing throughout the city, while local billboards boast slogans like "Affordable Protein for the People" and "A Sausage in Every Air Fryer."

Sausage will continue to show up across some of the country's most politically overserved cities, from Atlanta and Raleigh to Cincinnati and Houston, to inspire supporters to choose Sausage in the lead-up to the 2026 Midterms.

"Sausage for Dinner" builds on Johnsonville's "Keep It Juicy" platform, which encourages Americans to choose connection over division. This election season, Johnsonville isn't asking people to tune out current events; it's simply throwing exhausted Americans a rope and a simple, delicious answer to: "What's For Dinner?"

Consumers can follow the campaign, donate to Hunger Free America , find recipes and learn more at www.sausagefordinner.com. Follow along on social media using #SausageForDinner #IChooseSausage. For those currently impacted by food insecurity or who need help obtaining free food, please visit https://findfood.hungerfreeamerica.org/.

Please find all press assets HERE.

About Johnsonville, LLC:

Wisconsin-based Johnsonville is the No. 1 national sausage brand, selling and serving more than 80 different varieties of sausage across 40+ countries and in more than 75 U.S. professional, semi-pro and college sports stadiums. Founded in 1945, Johnsonville remains a family-owned company of obsessed sausage-makers that employs and develops more than 4,000 members globally

To Methodology:

The surveys were conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Johnsonville from June 16-18, 2026 among 2,087 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, and from July 9-12, 2026 among 2,007 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval.  For these studies, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.7 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest. For complete survey methodologies, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact Karen Kraft at [email protected]. 

SOURCE Johnsonville