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A recent poll conducted for the Financial Times and the University of Michigan Ross School of Business reveals that more Americans trust Kamala Harris to handle the US economy than Donald Trump. This marks a significant shift in voter sentiment following President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the White House race.
The survey, the first of its kind to show the Democratic presidential candidate leading Trump on economic issues, indicates a growing belief among voters that Harris would be better equipped to manage the economy.
Despite a steady 41% of Americans still placing their trust in the former president on economic matters, the survey shows a 7% increase in the number of voters who believe Harris would excel in this area compared to Biden’s performance last month.
Erik Gordon, a professor at the university, noted, “The fact that voters were more positive on Harris than on Biden… says as much about how badly Biden was doing as it does about how well Harris is doing.”
The survey also highlights concerns over inflation as a major issue for voters leading up to the November election. Only 19% of voters feel they are better off now than when Biden took office in 2021.
Interestingly, the data suggests that Harris may be able to distance herself from Biden’s economic policies, with 60% of respondents indicating that she should either break away entirely from the current platform or make significant changes to it.
Furthermore, Harris enjoys a higher approval rating than Biden, with 46% of registered voters expressing approval of her performance as vice-president compared to 41% for Biden as president.
However, underlying economic concerns among voters could still work in Trump’s favor. The survey indicates that only 25% of registered voters view economic conditions as “excellent” or “good,” with 42% believing they would be better off under another term of a Trump presidency.
Trump also outperforms Harris on specific economic issues like trade, where 43% of voters trust him more to handle economic relations with China.
The FT-Michigan Ross Poll, conducted online by Global Strategy Group and North Star Opinion Research, reflects the views of 1,001 registered voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.