However, economic sentiment is not necessarily an indicator of election outcomes, and this campaign differs in many ways from those in the past. “We are in an unprecedented situation where we are balancing two incumbents,” said Joanne Hsu, who leads the Michigan poll.
Anthony Rice, a 54-year-old Democrat from eastern Indiana, and pretty much everyone he knows are doing well right now, he said. Gasoline prices are down, jobs are plentiful and Mr. Rice, a unionized dump truck driver, benefits directly from the infrastructure bill that Mr. Biden signed in 2021. “Life will recognize that,” Mr. Rice said.
“There are more people working now, having better jobs and having more opportunities to get a better job than ever before,” he said. “I don’t understand why they don’t see how good it is.”
Amber Wichowsky, a political scientist at Marquette University who has studied voters’ economic perceptions, said it’s not surprising that many Americans may feel uneasy despite strong economic data. The pandemic and its aftermath have been deeply disturbing, she said, and it’s not surprising that it may take some time for things to feel normal again.
The question, Ms. Wichowsky said, is how much, if at all, voters’ views will change when the campaign begins in earnest. So far, Mr. Biden has made little progress in conveying his economic message, but many voters are still not paying attention. In the coming months, the Biden campaign will also ramp up sales efforts on the president’s economic record — including billions of dollars in spending on infrastructure and clean energy that will become easier to communicate as projects begin.
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2024-03-05 10:36:33
www.nytimes.com
