Fifty-five percent (55%) of voters nationwide believe the economy is getting worse these days. A Ballotpedia national survey found that figure is up five points from a survey conducted in late May.
Since that earlier survey, the number who believe the economy is getting better has inched up just two points to 24%.
To some, these results may be surprising. The initial survey was conducted before the most recent jobs report, at a time when many experts projected the report would show millions of jobs lost. Instead, that report showed a net gain of 2.5 million jobs. However, after an economic slump, it often takes many months of good economic news before confidence rebounds.
Additionally, the partisan dynamics are interesting. Since that earlier survey, Republicans have grown more optimistic while Democrats and Independents have gone in the opposite direction.
Fifty percent (50%) of GOP voters now believe the economy is getting better–up nine points since late May.
Seventy-four percent (74%) of Democrats now believe the economy is getting worse–up ten points from the previous survey.
The number of Independents who believe the economy is getting worse jumped eight points to 58%.
Data released earlier showed showed that 42% of voters know someone who lost their job due to the shutdowns and have since been rehired. On that question, there is no significant partisan gap.
We will continue to monitor economic expectations as American recovers.
Ballotpedia is Documenting America’s Path to Recovery by providing comprehensive coverage on how the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting America’s political and civic life. Click here to sign up for daily email updates.
Coverage includes how federal, state, and local governments are responding, and the effects those responses are having on campaigns and elections. We document the plans for recovery put forth by states, localities, and others in a way that allows citizens, policymakers, influencers, pundits, and the nation’s reporters to engage in fruitful comparisons about moving forward. We will curate the ongoing debates, as well as the political impact of the conversations.
LISTEN TO Scott’s Daily Podcast, “Scott Rasmussen’s Number of the Day.”
SIGN UP to receive Scott’s free email newsletter.
CHECK OUT Scott’s latest polls.
Methodology
The survey of 1,200 Registered Voters was conducted by Scott Rasmussen using a mixed mode approach from June 11-13, 2020. Field work for the survey was conducted by RMG Research, Inc. Most respondents were contacted online or via text while 306 were contacted using automated phone polling techniques. Certain quotas were applied, and the overall sample was lightly weighted by geography, gender, age, race, education, and political party to reasonably reflect the nation’s population of Registered Voters. Other variables were reviewed to ensure that the final sample is representative of that population.
