Vice President Kamala Harris holds a 15-point lead over former President Donald Trump among women to address inflation and lower the cost of living, according to a poll published on Friday.
An American University survey of 829 registered women voters conducted from September 20 to 24, found that Harris’ favorability has increased by 12 points since last year. Now, 55 percent of respondents view Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, favorably while 41 percent hold an unfavorable opinion of her. Meanwhile, 40 percent of women view Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, favorably while 57 percent have a negative opinion of him. Among independents, Trump’s ratings drop more significantly, with 34 percent having a favorable view of him, compared to 51 percent for Harris.
A majority of women support Harris over Trump on economic issues, the top concern in this year’s election and a topic that Trump has typically been leading on. The poll found 51 percent of respondents trust Harris to address inflation and the high cost of living, compared to 37 percent who trust Trump, 3 percent who trust both candidates equally, and 9 percent who trust neither.
The gap between the Democratic and Republican nominees narrows on handling of the economy overall, with 46 percent of voters supporting Harris and 38 percent supporting Trump.
The poll surveyed respondents just before the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its latest jobs report on Friday, revealing that 240,000 jobs were added to the labor market last month and the unemployment rate dropped by 0.1 percent. The stronger-than-expected jobs report reduces the chances of the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates by half a percentage point like it previously did in September. The report is seen as a boost for the Biden administration, in which Harris serves as vice president.
Overall, the American University poll shows Harris leading Trump by 15 points in the presidential race, with 54 percent of voters supporting Harris compared to 39 percent backing Trump. Almost half of respondents, 48 percent, think this will be the most important election of their lifetime. The poll, which was conducted by Benenson Strategy, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.
Newsweek has reached out to both Harris’ and Trump’s campaign for comment via email on Friday.
Jim Vondruska/Getty Images/Jeff Swensen/Getty Images
Several other recent polls have shown a minor shift towards Harris on the economy, chipping away at Trump’s lead.
The latest Cook Political Report Swing State Project survey of 2,941 voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin found that Trump holds a 5-point lead over Harris among swing state voters on which candidate voters trust to handle the economy. However, when it comes to inflation specifically, voters are evenly split, with 47 percent supporting each candidate.
In August, Trump lead on the issue by 6 points with 48 percent support against 42 percent for Harris. Some 60 percent of swing state voters said inflation is the part of the economy that “concerns them the most,” demonstrating the significance of this shift.
The Cook Political Report Swing State Project survey also found that voters’ impression of the economy is slightly improving, with 46 percent believing the economy and inflation are getting better or staying the same, compared to 38 percent in May. The poll was conducted between September 19 and 25, and no margin of error was provided.
Harris’ Economic Agenda
An “Opportunity Economy” has been a main tenet of Harris’ campaign, with her campaign website listing “building up the middle class” as a key goal if elected.
Central to her plans is addressing America’s housing crisis, having promised to build 3 million affordable rental units and homes, provide first-time buyers with up to $25,000 for down payments, as well as to “cut red tape” preventing home construction.
The vice president has also promised to use her first 100 days in office to pass a federal ban on “price gouging,” and to raise the federal minimum wage from $7.25, though her campaign has so far not revealed the extent of this increase.
Trump’s Economic Agenda
Trump’s economic agenda is concerned with putting an end to “reckless big government spending,” leveling the free trade playing field, and bringing jobs back.
A key slogan of his campaign is “Drill, baby, drill,” with Trump planning to “unleash” America’s natural oil and gas reserves in an effort to reduce fuel costs and increase the country’s energy independence.
Trump has said he would bring back jobs from abroad to American industry, providing corporate tax cuts for businesses that make products in America, slashing them to 15 percent from 21 percent. If companies don’t take the deal, they would have to pay tariffs on products shipped from abroad, the former president said.