More US voters trust Kamala Harris over Trump on economy, shows survey

More Americans trust Vice President Kamala Harris’ ability to handle the US economy than former President Donald Trump, according to a new survey.

Since President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race in favour of Harris, she has consistently made gains against Trump. In the weeks since taking over as the Democratic nominee, she has enthused a new lease of life in the Democratic Party’s campaign against Trump, which had previously trailed behind Trump owing to Biden’s poor approval ratings and sharp decline in support following June’s disastrous presidential debate.

Now, a survey by the Financial Times and the University of Michigan Ross School of Business has found that 42 per cent of Americans trust Harris to handle to US economy whereas 41 per cent Americans trust Trump. This is a 7 per cent spike from the trust in Biden’s handling of the economy in the previous month.

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“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,” said Michigan University Professor Erik Gordon to FT.

Inflation biggest concern for Americans

Ahead of the US presidential election in November, Inflation remains the biggest concerns for Americans, according to FT.

The FT-Michigan University survey found that most of the Americans don’t rate Biden’s economic record highly.

Only 19 per cent US voters believe they are better off today than in 2021 when Biden became the president and some 60 per cent said Harris should either break completely from Biden’s policies or “make major changes” to the policies, according to the FT.

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Michigan University Prof. Gordon told FT: “The poll is good news for previously anxious Democrats, but their worries aren’t over because voters still see themselves better off with Trump as president, and most voters think of their interests first and grand policy questions second.”

Even though the survey found that Americans trust Harris more on economy, the FT reported the survey as also finding that Americans were more trustful of Trump’s protectionist policies when it came to international trade.

Harris ahead of Trump in latest polls

In the latest four polls this month, Harris was leading over Trump in three and was tied in two polls, according to polls’ tally maintained by FiveThirtyEight.

In the latest The New York Times-Sienna College poll conducted August 6-9, Harris had a lead of 4 per cent on Trump.

In another Times-Sienna poll conducted during the same time but including Robert Kennedy Jr and other candidates as well, Harris had a 2 per cent lead.

In the YouGov Blue-Carolina Forward poll during August 5-9, Harris and Trump were tied.

In the Quantus Polls and News poll during August 7-8, Harris had a 1 per cent lead over Trump.