After the Debate, More People Trust Trump on Economy, Reveals CNN Poll

A CNN poll conducted following the recent presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris revealed that Trump's lead over Harris on the critical issue of the economy has grown. The percentage of debate watchers who trust Trump more on handling the economy rose from 16% to 20%, further solidifying his reputation in this key area.

CNN’s Jake Tapper introduced the poll results on air, bringing in CNN political director David Chalian to break down the findings. Tapper opened by saying, “The first results of our instant poll of debate-watchers have just come in, and David Chalian is going to join us now to break it all down. David, tell us more.”

Chalian highlighted that the poll represented the views of debate watchers, not the entire population, but noted that the demographic breakdown of respondents was similar to that of the overall registered voter population. "Yeah, Jake, and as you noted, this is a poll of debate watchers,” Chalian explained. “This is not a poll that represents the overall population, although in partisan breakdown it is pretty close to what the overall registered population looks like in the country.”

A look at the numbers 

The poll results showed that Trump’s lead on economic trustworthiness increased following the debate. Before the debate, Trump held a 16-point advantage over Harris, with 53% of debate watchers saying they trusted him more on the economy compared to 37% for Harris. However, after the debate, Trump’s lead surged to 20%, with 55% favoring him on economic matters versus 35% for Harris.

Trump’s statements on the economy seemed to resonate with viewers. During the debate, Trump criticized the current state of the economy, saying, “We’ve had a terrible economy because inflation has — which is really known as a country buster. It breaks up countries. We have inflation like very few people have ever seen before. Probably the worst in our nation’s history.” He went on to emphasize his track record, adding, “Everybody knows I’m an open book. Everybody knows what I’m going to do. Cut taxes very substantially. And create a great economy like I did before. We had the greatest economy.”

Why does this matter?

For months, the economy has consistently been ranked as a top concern for voters. Reports from media outlets and polling organizations have underscored just how central the economy is to the 2024 election. On September 10, CBS News reported that "about 8 in 10 adults tell CBS News that the economy is a major factor in their choice at the polls, outpacing issues such as abortion and climate change."

Similarly, an Economist/YouGov poll conducted between August 11 and 13 found that 73% of respondents viewed jobs and the economy as very important issues, well ahead of other topics. Earlier in the year, in July, Statista reported that inflation and prices were the most important issues for 25% of Americans, while 10% were primarily concerned with jobs and the economy.

The long-standing prominence of economic issues in voters' minds has not been lost on political analysts. In March 2024, Data for Progress noted that between July 2023 and February 2024, inflation consistently ranked as the top issue for voters.

Here is what you need to know

The CNN poll results suggest that Trump’s economic message continues to resonate with a significant portion of the electorate, particularly as economic concerns such as inflation and job security remain at the forefront of voters' minds. With the economy shaping up to be one of the most important issues in the 2024 election, Trump’s growing lead in this area could play a pivotal role in his campaign as it moves forward. Meanwhile, Harris may face increasing pressure to convince voters she has the better plan to address their economic concerns.

The fact that this poll is from CNN is also interesting as CNN, in general, is perceived as being sympathetic to the Democrats. 

As the election season progresses, the economy will undoubtedly continue to be a decisive issue, and both candidates will need to focus on presenting solutions that appeal to the large portion of voters who rank it as their top priority. For now, Trump's performance in the debate appears to have strengthened his position as the candidate more trusted to handle the economy. However, many people sympathetic to Trump feel he could have performed better in the debate.