As Election Day approaches, many Americans say in a new survey that their lives are worse off than they were four years ago.
gallup public opinion pollFifty-two percent of Americans said they and their families are worse off now than they were four years ago, according to a paper released Friday. Another 39 percent said their situation had gotten better, and 9 percent said they felt the same now as they did then.
The answers varied depending on the person's political affiliation. About 72% of Democrats say they would be better off in 2024 than in 2020, according to the survey. The numbers were much lower at 35% for independents and 7% for Republicans.
Gallup's monthly Economic Confidence Index (ECI), which ranges from -100 to +100, is currently at -26, with 39% saying the economy was better off four years ago. By the way, in 2020, about 55% answered that the economy had improved, and the ECI was -4.
Former President Trump lost re-election in 2020 to then-Democratic candidate Joe Biden. Gallup noted that the results of the last election were “a sign that non-economic factors are paramount to voters that year.”
About 46% of Americans say the current economic situation is “bad,” about 29% say it's “fair,” and 25% say it's “good” or “excellent.” Furthermore, according to the survey, 62% of respondents said the economy was “deteriorating,'' compared to 32% who said it was “getting better.''
The most important issues respondents cited for the upcoming election were the economy and immigration, each at 21%. According to the data, the “government” inflation rate was 17%, while the inflation rate was 14%.
About 44% of Americans surveyed said it's a “good time” to find a “high-quality” job, while 50% said the opposite.
Just days before the election, Vice President Harris leads Trump by nearly 3 points, 49.8% to 47.1%, according to The Hill/Decision Desk Headquarters polling index. Still, races remain close in battleground states, where policy issues such as the economy, immigration and abortion could have a big impact on voters' decisions.
The Gallup poll was conducted among 1,023 Americans between September 16 and September 28, and has a margin of error of 4 percentage points with a 95% confidence level.
