Joe Biden's voters in 2020 were younger, made less money, and were as a group more racially diverse than those who voted for Donald Trump. That happens to be the US segment suffering the most from inflation and high interest rates right now, the New York Times reports. It's a worrisome development for the president, backed up by a recent poll showing most Democrats in six battleground states who voted for Biden aren't happy with the state of the economy. The New York Times/Siena College poll found that 62% of those Biden supporters rate the economy as fair or poor.
Although the economy's condition often is considered critical to the incumbent party's chances, analysts say the discontent doesn't mean it's curtains for Biden's reelection chances. The president's economic programs are popular among voters, and social issues such as access to abortion could help him overcome economic concerns. An analyst at the public opinion research firm HIT Strategies pointed out that the midterms last year revolved around abortion instead of the usual issue, the economy. "Republicans lost that because of Roe," Joshua Doss said, per the Times. "So we're definitely in uncharted territory."
And it's not that voters think Republicans are doing anything to improve the economy. Navigator Research, a progressive-leaning outfit, found that 70% of voters polled in battleground House districts said Republicans were paying more attention to other issues. That went for a majority of GOP voters, as well. Oscar Nuñez, 27, who works at a Las Vegas restaurant, voted for Biden but would prefer another option this time. He said he realizes the choice probably will be Biden and Trump again. Nuñez doesn't consider the economy the biggest issue; he's more concerned about immigrants' rights and foreign policy and prefers Biden's stances. "That's why I was picking him over Trump in the first place," he said. (More President Biden stories.)
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
