The Harris Surge: Is Inflation Really a Deciding Factor?

Initially, Biden trailed behind Trump in the polls, with voters unhappy about inflation and financial markets predicting a Republican victory. However, after Biden`s hypothetical withdrawal and Harris`s hypothetical nomination, she surged ahead of Trump despite similar inflation levels. This raises questions about whether voters hold Harris less accountable for inflation than Biden. Possible explanations include voters placing more blame on the president for economic issues or their declining opinion of Biden being unrelated to the economy. Harris`s success suggests she might be benefiting from a fresh start without the burden of Biden`s perceived failures. This is significant because it challenges the assumption that inflation would automatically harm Democrats, as seen in the 2022 midterms where they performed better than expected despite economic concerns.