The Harris Surge: Is Inflation Really a Deciding Factor?

When Biden was the projected Democratic presidential nominee, high inflation negatively impacted his polling numbers, allowing Trump to take the lead. However, after Biden hypothetically dropped out and Harris became the nominee, her poll numbers surged past Trump`s, despite inflation remaining relatively unchanged. This begs the question: why is Harris seemingly not being penalized for inflation, while Biden was? Some theorize that voters place more blame for the economy on the president than the vice president. Others believe that Biden`s declining popularity might be due to personal factors rather than solely the economy. This situation suggests that Harris, as a fresh face not directly tied to Biden`s record, might be benefiting from a best-case scenario for Democrats. This is further supported by the 2022 midterm elections, where Democrats performed better than expected despite high inflation, indicating that economic concerns might not be as detrimental to the Democratic vote as previously thought.