Vice President Kamala Harris is gaining ground on former President Donald Trump in terms of voter trust in handling economic issues, according to a new Financial Times/Michigan Ross poll. The survey found that 42% of voters trust Harris on economic matters, just one percentage point ahead of Trump. While this lead is slim and falls within the poll’s margin of error, it signals a possible shift in dynamics for the Democratic ticket. Previous polls have shown Trump with a significant lead over Harris on economic issues, with the CNBC All-America Economic Survey indicating that voters believe they would be financially better off under Trump by a 2-to-1 margin.
Despite Harris’ rise in voter trust on economic issues, the economy remains a key focus for voters, with inflation and the high cost of living being top priorities in national polls. President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy has lagged behind Trump’s approval ratings, leading to questions about how Harris might diverge from the current administration’s economic policies. As Harris has yet to release a formal economic policy platform, voters and donors are left wondering how she may address economic concerns differently.
In response to economic challenges and public dissatisfaction with the economy, 60% of FT/Michigan Ross survey respondents believe Harris should either fully cut ties with Biden’s economic policies or make significant changes to his agenda. Trump has been quick to exploit economic concerns for political gain, using tactics that attempt to connect economic issues with the Biden-Harris administration’s policies. For example, when markets recently plunged, Trump labeled the event the “Kamala Crash” on Truth Social, attributing economic downturn to the current administration.
Despite Trump’s efforts to link voter pessimism about the economy to the Biden-Harris administration, the FT/Michigan Ross poll found that 42% of voters believe they would be better off in a hypothetical second Trump term, compared to 33% who say the same of Harris. Harris has seen a surge in donations, volunteers, and rally attendance since Biden dropped out and endorsed her as the Democratic presidential nominee. With Harris yet to unveil her economic policy platform, there is anticipation about how she may differentiate herself from the current administration on economic issues in the coming days.
