Americans Are Divided in Their Views of the Economy

Frustration with the state of the economy was the main driver behind Donald Trump’s return to office. According to exit polls, 80 percent of voters who considered the economy the most important issue in the 2024 election voted for Trump, as more than two thirds of voters rated the nation’s economy as not so good or poor.

Two and half months later, the overall sentiment regarding the economy is still more negative than actual economic indicators would suggest and there’s a partisan divide in how Americans rate the state of the nation’s economy. According to a YouGov/The Economist poll conducted January 12-14, 65 percent of Democrats (incl. leaners) rate the economy as excellent or good, while 82 percent of Republicans would describe it as fair or poor. 

Unsurprisingly, 86 percent of Republicans disapprove of the way Joe Biden handled jobs and the economy, while 76 percent of Democrats approve of the way the outgoing president handled things. Looking ahead, Trump voters expect big things from their new president. 57 percent of those respondent who voted for Trump expect to be better off financially a year from now, while just 6 percent expect to be worse off. Conversely, 36 percent of Harris voters expect to be worse off in one year, while 23 percent expect things to improve financially.