Partisan Divide on Economic Confidence as the Most Influential Factor in the 2024 Presidential Elections

By Kristina Madrazo

Elections are an integral part of democratic governance. Impacting public policy and global affairs, direct democracy grants citizens the power to elect their political representatives and instill public trust. Recent surveys show that democracy, national security, and immigration rank among the most influential factors in electing a president—but the economy tops the list. 

Since the Great Recession in 2008, 52% of registered voters in the US value the economy as the most important factor in voting for a president (Megan Brenan, Economy Most Important Issue to 2024 Presidential Vote, Gallup, 2024). However, a closer look at the statistics shows that 66% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independent voters make up most of the numbers, while the Democrats do not include the economy among the top five influential factors. For Democrats, democracy in the US, the types of Supreme Court justices the presidential candidates would pick, and platforms on abortion, healthcare, and education are the five most important voting issues. 

The current partisan divide on ranking the economy as the most influential vote-deciding factor vastly contrasts with 2008, when it was the top-scoring issue for both parties. While Republican and Democratic voters rank issues on education, foreign relations, and gun policy similarly in terms of influencing votes for candidates, divergences still become apparent when discussing immigration, crime, climate change, and the economy. 

With the 2024 presidential elections proclaiming the triumph of Trump and his new administration, polls reveal that a slim majority of US voters perceive Trump to better handle the economy, immigration, and foreign affairs, while Harris would win on issues of climate change, abortion, and healthcare. 

With the economy ranking as the most influential factor in selecting a president to govern a nation, Trump’s perceived better handling of the US economy than Harris gave him a significant advantage in the 2024 elections. Partisans may differ vastly on the issues that influence their votes on electing a president, but registered voters, especially the Republicans, ranking economic confidence as first on the list credit Trump’s win.