Research shows: Economic situation could cost Biden the election

(Patria) - Many Americans who voted for U.S. President Joe Biden in 2020 say they believe the economy has been poor under his leadership and may not vote for him in the 2024 election, according to a new poll conducted by Reuters and Ipsos.

Respondents were asked who they would vote for between Biden and likely Republican candidate Donald Trump "if the presidential election were held today," and 19% of Biden's 2020 voters who participated in the poll said they were either unsure or would choose someone other than the two. Six percent of Biden's 2020 voters chose Trump.

42% of Biden's 2020 voters said the economy was "worse" than in 2020, compared to 33% who said it was "better" and 24% who said it was "about the same."

The poll results highlight that White House officials are struggling to reverse the trend with visits this month to cities across the country to raise awareness of Biden's efforts to help the economy. Biden will visit Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah from August 7 to 10 to highlight that his Inflation Reduction Act will boost manufacturing and fight climate change.

About half of the respondents in the poll who voted for Biden in 2020 said they had heard little or nothing about his major policy initiatives to reduce inflation or increase infrastructure spending.

A majority of Biden's 2020 voters, 78%, said they approve of his performance as president, well above his 40% approval rating among all respondents.

But there is a critical divide among Biden's 2020 voters. Among those who disapprove of his performance, respondents were about twice as likely to say inflation is the biggest U.S. problem, compared to Biden's 2020 voters who said the president is doing a good job. Those who approve of Biden relatively more emphasize the dangers of political extremism.

The poll results indicate a lack of enthusiasm for Biden and highlight the risks that Democrats may not turn out as strongly at the polls next year and that independents who voted Democratic in 2020 could vote Republican in 2024.

American households have struggled with the highest inflation in decades under Biden, although the rate of price growth has recently fallen sharply. Economic growth has been modest, although the unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest levels in decades.
When respondents in the poll were asked to describe how much Biden and his administration have invested in the U.S. economy, 35% of Biden's 2020 voters chose the option "not enough." 53% chose "about the right amount," 3% said "too much," and the rest did not know.