US elections indicate that Donald Trump is losing his edge over Kamala Harris regarding who is more qualified to manage the economy, according to recent polling data.

As millions of voters have already begun casting early ballots ahead of the presidential election on November 5, a new Associated Press/NORC poll reveals that Harris, the Democratic nominee, has gained a slight lead on several key economic issues important to middle-class voters.

Handling economic matters

This finding reinforces a trend from the same poll conducted last month, which showed that Harris had nearly bridged a previously significant gap with Trump, the former president and Republican nominee, on who would be more adept at handling economic matters. Economic concerns consistently rank as a top priority for voters.

The latest poll included more detailed inquiries than the previous one, revealing that 46% of respondents favor Harris’s tax policies for the middle class, compared to 35% for Trump. Additionally, Harris has a slight advantage regarding housing costs, while voters are divided on which candidate offers better policies for grocery and gas prices, as well as job creation and unemployment.

Harris gains

Harris’s gain comes despite a majority of voters—62%—believing that the economy is in poor condition, in contrast to 38% who feel differently. This perspective is somewhat more optimistic than in October of last year when nearly 75% reported the economy was in distress.

The Trump campaign has long emphasized inflation and increasing living costs as key criticisms of Joe Biden’s presidency. Following Biden’s withdrawal from the race and her assumption of the Democratic nomination in July, Harris has countered with a campaign centered around creating an “opportunity economy,” including a commitment to provide first-time homebuyers with $25,000 toward a down payment.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson highlighted economic issues during a CNN interview on Sunday, countering any claims that voters were mainly concerned about Trump’s increasingly erratic behavior, which included abruptly ending a town hall session to dance aimlessly to music for nearly 40 minutes. Johnson posed a critical question about whether voters are better off now compared to four years ago under the Trump administration, asserting that no one could affirmatively answer that question.

Harris economic message

To promote Harris’s economic message, her campaign has enlisted Bill Clinton to target rural and Black voters. Clinton’s involvement as an economic spokesperson stems in part from his successful 1992 presidential campaign, which notably focused on economic matters, encapsulated by the memorable phrase “It’s the economy, stupid,” coined by strategist James Carville.

At a rally last Friday in Wilmington, North Carolina—a crucial battleground state where the candidates are closely matched—Clinton stated that Harris’s economic proposals aim to improve conditions for most people, expressing her intention to assist the middle class and low-income individuals in ascending to the middle class.

Economy under Biden administration

Clinton has also provided a nuanced assessment of the current economy, acknowledging inflation under the Biden administration while explaining its causes. At the Democratic National Convention in August, he noted that the US had created 51 million jobs since the Cold War’s end, with 50 million of those jobs generated under Democratic leadership. He emphasized this point with disbelief, remarking on the disproportionate job creation between parties, stating that the score stands at Democrats 50, Republicans 1.

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