Vice President @KamalaHarris will be ready to serve on day one. Let’s make her president.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) August 10, 2024
Kamala Harris has pulled ahead of Donald Trump in voter trust on the economy, according to a recent poll from the Financial Times and the University of Michigan. The survey found that 42% of voters trust Harris to handle economic matters, compared to 41% who have faith in Trump. This marks a significant shift from previous months, where Trump consistently led on the economy.
In July, Trump held a 7-point advantage over then-candidate Joe Biden.
Here is my take on @AlJazeera 's business program Counting the Cost w/ Adrian Finnegan on Ukraine, Russia's Lukoil, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic & the EU. My interview starts at 12:12 but stay for the whole program if you can.https://t.co/KEwuTqz5sz
— Theresa Fallon (@TheresaAFallon) August 10, 2024
Harris’s numbers represent the first time a Democratic presidential candidate has surpassed Trump on economic trust since the poll began. However, the poll also reveals that voters still have concerns about the current state of the economy.
Amazing stat here: "Fully 60 per cent of those surveyed said [Harris] should either break completely from the president’s economic policies or 'make major changes' to his platform." https://t.co/ewusNbFnwc #Bidenomics pic.twitter.com/MLDJ5e0EaJ
— Scott Lincicome (@scottlincicome) August 11, 2024
A majority of respondents describe their financial situation as “surviving” rather than “thriving.” Nearly three-quarters express a negative view of the overall economic conditions, with half saying they are worse off than before Biden took office. The challenge for Harris lies in distinguishing herself from Biden’s economic policies. Over 60% of voters believe she should either make major changes or take a completely different approach if elected.
The New York Times-Siena poll, which has been bearish about Democrats throughout this cycle, now shows Kamala Harris leading Trump in each of the blue wall states https://t.co/EOdMrTayp2
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) August 10, 2024
Harris does hold a higher approval rating than Biden, with 46% of registered voters approving of her job as vice president compared to 41% for Biden.
Harris gains economic trust advantage
Trump continues to attack Democrats on inflation, which remains the top concern for voters.
He also outperforms Harris on specific economic issues like trade relations with China, where 43% trust him more compared to 39% for Harris. The poll also highlights the uncertainty among Arab-American voters in key swing states like Michigan. Many are undecided, with the war in Gaza being a defining issue.
Harris has tried to distance herself from Biden’s Israel policy without fully shifting away from it. Another potential hurdle for Harris is the delay or hold on about 40% of major investments in US manufacturing tied to Biden’s industrial policy overhaul. The fate of these projects, worth around $84 billion, is even more uncertain with the possibility of a Trump victory in November.
The poll, conducted Aug. 1-5 with 1,001 interviews and a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points, underscores the fluid nature of voter sentiment on the economy heading into the high-stakes presidential election. While Harris has made gains, the race remains close as both candidates seek to win over key voter groups.
