Janice R. Andrews
A new study shows that voters are still very divided over whether Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald Trump would do a better job of handling the economy. The election is coming up in November. A poll by The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research found that about 4 in 10 registered voters think Trump would be better at running the economy, while the same number of people think Harris would be better. Also, one in ten supporters say they don’t believe either candidate.
This split is a big change for Trump, who used to be in charge of economic problems while he was president. Even though he tried to connect Harris to the way President Joe Biden handled the economy, Harris seems to be getting rid of some of the president’s bad habits. Polls show that the economy, more than any other problem, will determine how people vote. Eight out of ten people say it is important to them, more than health care, crime, or immigration.
Voters are unhappy because of what happened after inflation peaked in 2022 and caused prices to rise on things like food and housing. Only one-third of voters think the national economy is in good shape, even though inflation is going down and jobless rates are staying the same. However, a lot of people are still positive about their own finances; about six out of ten say that their family finances are safe.
The candidates’ economic plans show how very different they are in how they see the country. Harris wants higher corporate taxes to pay for more benefits for the middle class. Trump, on the other hand, wants lower corporate taxes and tariffs to encourage investment in the U.S. Trump has tried to use his business experience to help his campaign, but people aren’t sure if those skills make him a good economic leader.
The study also shows how divided people are by party on bigger topics. Trump still has the upper hand when it comes to trade and immigration, but Harris is ahead when it comes to health care, gun policy, and climate change. People who are voting think that the upcoming election will have a big effect on the business and the direction of the country, but not so much on them personally.
