Republican voter Stacey Fox and Democrat voter Jahmiel Jackson share their perspectives on the top issues and candidates leading up to the 2024 presidential election. The current state of the economy is causing distress, with concerns over inflation and doubts about the Biden administration’s policies. These factors are contributing to significant disapproval among the groups that the president is relying on for re-election. Here are five key takeaways from the recent Fox News survey, presented in a cynical tone:
1. Inflation worries continue to persist, with 91% of respondents expressing concern about higher prices. This figure has remained consistent since May and March.
2. The cost of housing and the ability to pay bills are major concerns for 8 in 10 respondents.
3. Views on the economy remain overwhelmingly negative, with more than three times as many people expressing a negative outlook compared to those with a positive view.
4. A growing number of people believe that the administration’s efforts to control inflation are actually harming the economy. This sentiment has increased by 13 points since earlier this year.
5. President Biden’s political base appears to be faltering, as there is a record level of disapproval among loyal constituencies. Specifically, suburban voters (61% disapprove), women (60% disapprove), voters under age 45 (58% disapprove), and Hispanic voters (57% disapprove) are all expressing their dissatisfaction with the president.
Furthermore, a Fox News poll on President Biden’s job performance reveals that only 41% of respondents approve, while 58% disapprove. These marks are slightly lower than the previous month’s figures. Additionally, a record 44% strongly disapprove of Biden, which is more than double the number of those who strongly approve. Comparatively, former President Trump’s ratings were slightly better at this point in his presidency.
When it comes to the economy, just 22% of voters believe it is in excellent or good shape, with 78% rating economic conditions negatively. On an individual level, 37% of respondents feel their finances are in excellent or good shape, while 63% believe they are only fair or poor.
The majority of respondents (91%) express worry about inflation, with concerns spanning across party lines. Additionally, a significant portion of respondents are concerned about housing costs (79%), taxes (75%), and the ability to pay bills (74%). However, worries about unemployment have decreased slightly compared to two years ago.
Overall, 53% of respondents believe that Biden’s efforts to control inflation are actually causing harm, a significant increase from 40% in April. Only 22% believe that the administration’s actions have made little difference. The feeling that Biden’s policies are worsening inflation is shared across the political spectrum.
President Biden’s ratings across various issues are largely negative, including inflation, immigration, the economy, and taxes. His highest approval ratings are in foreign policy, but he still remains underwater in that area. Among Democrats, approval ratings are relatively higher, particularly in areas such as foreign policy, the economy, taxes, and immigration.
Both President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are experiencing negative trends in their personal favorability ratings. A record 60% of respondents view Biden negatively, while Harris is viewed unfavorably by 60% of respondents. These figures indicate a challenging landscape for both politicians.
While these numbers may paint a bleak picture for the president, they do not necessarily mean that the 2024 election is a lost cause. Some voters who somewhat disapprove of Biden may still choose to vote for him. In a hypothetical matchup against Trump, 38% of those who somewhat disapprove of Biden would still support him, while Trump would receive 46% of that group. Additionally, there is strong support for Biden among those who somewhat approve of him. Overall, the race remains tight, with 46% supporting Biden and 48% supporting Trump.
This Fox News poll was conducted in September 2023 and includes interviews with 1,012 registered voters. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
