As Election Day approaches, a recent poll suggested that most Americans believe they are worse off than they were four years ago.
The Gallup Poll released on fridayfound that 52 percent of Americans said they and their families are worse off today than they were four years ago. The Gallup poll was conducted Sept. 16-28 among 1,023 Americans and has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.
Another 39 percent said they were better off, while 9 percent said they felt the same now as they did then.
Gallup noted that these results are very similar to its 1992 poll, when then-Gov. bill clinton He defeated the current Republican president, George HW Bush.
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Money and receipt placed in the payment folder for payment of a meal. (iStock)
Responses varied depending on the person’s party affiliation.
About 72% of Democrats say they were better off in 2024 than in 2020, according to the survey. The numbers were much lower for independents, 35%, and Republicans, just 7%.
Inside view of a young woman selecting her products at the checkout to ensure she gets the right price. She is using a touchscreen checkout and is also wearing a protective mask while inside the supermarket to protect herself and others during the pandemic. (iStock)
The poll center noted that participants’ response to whether they felt “better” was typically tied to the U.S. economy.
Gallup’s monthly Economic Confidence Index (ECI), which ranges from -100 to +100, was currently at -26, and 39 percent said they were in better financial shape four years ago.
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The organization has been tracking ECIs since 1992. Since the beginning, the highest ECI score was +56 in January 2000, and the lowest was -72 in October 2008.
Gallup noted that former President Trump’s 2020 loss to now-President Biden was a “sign that non-economic factors were paramount for voters that year.”
Multiple media outlets have insisted that Americans who criticize the economy under the Biden administration do not realize how good they have it. ((Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images))
US economic confidence remains low:
Gallup noted that the ICE has been largely negative over the past four years.
In 2022, the index recorded several scores that were the worst since the 2007-2009 recession and inflation peaked.
For the past three years, Americans have pointed to inflation as the most important financial problem facing their family. The survey findings suggest that inflation is an underlying fear in many Americans’ perception of the economy, despite generally low unemployment and steady economic growth.
About 46 percent of Americans say their current economic conditions are “poor,” about 29 percent described them as “fair,” while 25 percent said they were “good” or “excellent.”
Additionally, 62 percent said the economy is “getting worse,” while 32 percent said in the survey that it is “getting better.”
A side by side of former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. (AP Images)
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Main issues in the 2024 elections:
The survey found key areas that were on voters’ minds as they headed to the polls.
- Economy: 21%
- Immigration: 21%
- Government: 17%
- Inflation: 14%
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A more recent Fox News poll, conducted Oct. 11-14, found that the economy continues to outpace all other issues, with 40% saying it is the most important issue in deciding their choice for president.
Less than half of them prioritize immigration and abortion, and far fewer cite issues such as election integrity, health care, climate change, guns, crime and foreign policy.
Get the latest updates from the 2024 election campaign, exclusive interviews and more in our Fox News Digital Election Center.
Fox News’ Victoria Balara and Dana Blanton contributed to this report.
