Harris leads Trump overall but not on handling of the economy: POLL (Page 5 ) | August 19, 2024

Annonce:

Candidate influence

While Trump leads in trust to handle the economy and immigration, most people give Harris at least somewhat of a pass on the Biden administration’s policies on both issues. The public by about a 2-1 margin, 64%-33%, thinks Harris had limited influence on Biden’s economic policies, and by 57%-39% says the same about her influence on immigration policies.

Economic views matter, given the issue’s importance. With 72% of Americans rating the economy negatively, Trump is sure to seek to pin blame on Harris, and she to try to avoid it. Currently, he leads by 61%-33% among those who rate the economy negatively; she, by 89%-8% among those who rate it positively. Wednesday’s new inflation figure, a low since early 2021, may offer help to Harris, but prices and interest rates still have risen sharply on the Biden/Harris watch, and recession fears are afoot.

Trump may face more of a challenge on the abortion issue. Although fewer rate it as highly important, it’s also the case that Americans by 56%-39% think Trump had substantial influence in bringing about the U.S. Supreme Court decision eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion — a decision the public opposes by 62%-35%.

Supporters of the abortion ruling support Trump by 81%-13%, but the majority that opposes it supports Harris, by 72%-25%. Indeed, among people who think Trump had a larger role in bringing about the abortion ruling, Harris leads, 69%-28%. Among those who think Trump had less influence, that flips to a 73%-22% Trump lead.

Vote-preference gaps based on views of Harris’ influence on economic and immigration policy are far less pronounced, and run in the opposite direction. She does 10 points better with people who think she’s had more influence on economic policy, and 9 points better among those who think she had more influence on immigration policy, both compared with those who think she’s had less influence.