Former President Donald Trump is leading Vice President Kamala Harris when it comes to trust in handling the economy, according to a recent CNN poll. The economy is currently the “most important issue” for voters in major swing states, including Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. This development could potentially impact the upcoming election, as the results of these swing states will largely determine the next president.
Longtime Democrat adviser Doug Sosnik noted that Trump winning one or more of these key states, such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, would make it more difficult for Harris to obtain the necessary 270 electoral votes. The current poll results show Trump leading Harris in economic trust across all five major swing states.
1. Arizona: (Trump+15) – Harris 37%, Trump 52%, Neither 11.
2. Georgia: (Trump+4) – Harris 44%, Trump 48%, Neither 8.
3. Michigan: (Trump+5) – Harris 44%, Trump 49%, Neither 7.
4. Nevada: (Trump+16) – Harris 37%, Trump 53%, Neither 9.
5. Pennsylvania: (Trump+8) – Harris 42%, Trump 50%, Neither 8.
6. Wisconsin: (Trump+2) – Harris 45%, Trump 47%, Neither 8.
The survey sampled 682 voters in Arizona, 617 in Georgia, 708 in Michigan, 626 in Nevada, 789 in Pennsylvania, and 976 in Wisconsin between August 23-29, 2024. The margin of sampling error was up to ±4.9 percentage points.
CNN provided an analysis of Trump’s substantial lead over Harris in these battleground states. Although the change from Biden to Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee has altered some dynamics in the race, economic issues remain a central concern for voters. An average of 39% of likely voters across these states consider the economy their top issue. However, when asked about trust in handling the economy, Trump now leads by an average of 8 points over Harris, compared to a 20-point advantage he held over Biden in similar polls this spring.
Trump also maintains a strong lead over Harris regarding immigration policy, while she has built on Biden’s lead when it comes to handling abortion and reproductive rights, with women across these six states preferring her by an average of 27 percentage points on the issue. In most swing states, voters perceive Trump as having clearer policy plans to address national problems, but they also view Harris’ views and policies as more mainstream than Trump’s perceived extremism.