The Harris Surge: Is Inflation Really a Deciding Factor?

When Biden was the projected 2024 presidential candidate, high inflation negatively impacted his approval ratings and gave Trump a lead in the polls. However, after Biden hypothetically drops out and Harris becomes the Democratic candidate, she experiences a surge in popularity and surpasses Trump in the polls, despite inflation remaining relatively unchanged. This raises questions about whether voters don`t blame Harris for inflation as much as they did Biden, or if other factors are at play. Some speculate that voters might hold the president more accountable for the economy than the vice president. Others suggest that Biden`s declining popularity could be due to personal factors unrelated to the economy. This unexpected turn of events benefits Harris, who, as a fresh face, avoids carrying the burden of Biden`s economic record. This aligns with the observation that Democrats performed better than expected in the 2022 midterms, even with high inflation, suggesting that economic concerns might not be the sole determinant of voter decisions.