Americans are starting to think Kamala Harris is the better choice to handle the economy than Donald Trump. A new poll shows a big change in voter opinion.
For the first time in almost a year, more voters prefer Kamala over Trump on economic issues. This change in sentiment follows Joe Biden stepping down from the race, which seems to have given his Vice President a boost.
According to the poll, 42% of Americans believe Kamala would be better at managing the economy, compared to 41% who still trust Trump more.
That’s a significant jump for Kamala, especially considering Biden’s numbers last month were 7% lower. Erik Gordon, a professor at the University of Michigan, pointed out that
“The fact that voters were more positive on Kamala than on Biden says a lot about how Biden was doing poorly.”
Even with good economic growth and solid job numbers, Biden struggled to make voters feel like they were benefiting from literally any of his policies.
Inflation concerns and Kamala’s advantage
Inflation remains the number one concern for most Americans as they head into the November election. Despite the strong economic indicators, only 19% of voters feel better off now than when Biden took office in 2021.
The poll also revealed that 60% of voters think Kamala should either break away from Biden’s economic policies or make significant changes.
This is important because Kamala’s success may depend on how well she can distance herself from Biden’s economic track record.
Kamala’s approval ratings are also higher than Biden’s, with 46% of registered voters approving of the job she’s doing as Vice President, compared to 41% who still support Biden.
This difference might give her an edge, but it doesn’t mean she’s in the clear. The poll showed that economic worries are still a major issue, and these concerns could work in Trump’s favor.
In a recent televised news conference, Trump criticized the Biden administration’s handling of inflation, which could resonate with some voters who’ve been struggling for the past four years.
Trump’s economic edge
While Kamala is gaining ground, Trump still holds the lead in certain areas, particularly when it comes to trade.
The poll showed that 43% of voters trust Trump more to manage economic relations with China, while only 39% think Kamala would do a better job.
Trump has been a strong advocate for protectionist trade policies, especially when it comes to dealing with Beijing. He’s even threatened to increase tariffs on cars and other consumer goods if he gets another four years in office.
This tough stance on trade might be why some voters still see him as the better candidate for handling these specific economic issues.
But not everything is going Trump’s way. The same poll indicated that only 25% of registered voters rate the current economic conditions as “excellent” or “good.”
42% of voters said they’d be better off if Trump were in office again, compared to 33% who believe they’d be better off under a Kamala presidency.
