Donald Trump is focusing on the economy as he gears up for the presidential race.
This week, he returned to X (formerly Twitter) and asked his 89 million followers if they are better off now than during his time as president.
This is similar to Ronald Reagan’s famous line during his 1980 campaign.
Trump’s strategy makes sense because polls show that the economy is what American voters care about the most.
According to BBC, surveys like the one by The Economist/YouGov show that issues like inflation and jobs are top concerns for voters.
Many Americans are unhappy with how things are going now, which should be a big advantage for someone challenging the current leadership.
However, Trump seems to be struggling to get his message across, especially now that Kamala Harris has replaced Joe Biden as the Democratic candidate.
Harris is focusing on lowering the cost of living, promising things like expanding child tax credits and tackling high food prices.
Despite positive economic indicators like strong job growth and inflation dropping below 3%, many Americans still feel the pinch of high prices. Voters care more about how much things cost now rather than what the inflation rate says, as BBC notes.
Some voters, like Jeff Tester, blame Democrats for making things tougher for the working class. Others, like Dan Nardo, see global factors like the pandemic and oil prices as the real reasons behind rising costs.
Polling expert Ruth Igielnik told BBC that voters still favor Trump when it comes to the economy, but his lead over Harris is smaller than it used to be. As of now, Harris even has a narrow lead over Trump on economic trust in some polls, according to BBC.
Republicans are urging Trump to focus on the economy rather than personal attacks. However, in a recent speech, he veered off-topic, mentioning immigration and crime instead.
His advisers believe sticking to the economy could be his best strategy, but it seems challenging for Trump to stay on message.
With only 19% of voters saying they are better off now compared to when Trump was in office, the economy remains a critical issue in this election, as reported by BBC.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgl2xjxlz3xo