APRIL HARVARD CAPS / HARRIS POLL: OVER 60% OF AMERICANS THINK THE ECONOMY IS ON THE WRONG TRACK AFTER 3 MONTHS OF IMPROVEMENTS

Rhea-AI Summary

The April Harvard CAPS / Harris Poll reveals that 62% of Americans believe the country is on the wrong track, while President Biden's approval remains at 43%. As the debt ceiling debate intensifies, 65% of voters advocate for raising it only with spending constraints. The indictment against Donald Trump has solidified his support among Republicans, with 55% backing him in a primary against DeSantis, who holds 20%. However, 58% of Republicans view DeSantis as a viable challenger. Concerns about economic conditions are rising again, with 52% of voters feeling their financial situation is worsening. Additionally, 86% of voters consider crime a serious issue, and there is a significant lack of familiarity with ESG investing, as 64% have not heard of it. The poll was conducted online with 1,845 registered voters on April 18-19, 2023.

Positive

• The poll shows significant interest in economic issues, indicating potential for political parties to focus on addressing these concerns.
• Trump's indictment appears to have galvanized Republican support, potentially strengthening party unity.

Negative

• 62% of Americans feel the country is on the wrong track, suggesting widespread dissatisfaction with current leadership.
• 52% of voters believe their personal financial situation is deteriorating, reflecting growing economic anxiety.

THE PUBLIC CONTINUES TO TAKE THE REPUBLICANS' SIDE ON DEBT NEGOTIATIONS

INDICTMENT STRETCHES TRUMP'S PRIMARY LEAD BUT DESANTIS CONSIDERED A REAL CHALLENGE 

NEW YORK and CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Stagwell (NASDAQ: STGW) today released the results of the April Harvard CAPS / Harris Poll, a monthly collaboration between the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard (CAPS) and the Harris Poll and HarrisX.

The percentage of Americans who think the country is on the wrong track has ticked back up to 62% as President Biden's approval remains at 43%. With default looming ever closer, 65% of voters want Congress to raise the debt ceiling only with restraints on future spending. The poll also includes public opinion on crime and ESG. Download key results here.

"Donald Trump has parlayed an unprecedented indictment into a consolidation of party support while Biden's numbers remain weak, but many Americans are still very open to a moderate independent candidate," said Mark Penn, Co-Director of the Harvard-CAPS Harris Poll and Stagwell Chairman and CEO. "As Americans get more pessimistic about the economy again, the 2024 election may hinge on which party can put cultural issues to the side and focus on the core economic issues."

VIEWS OF THE ECONOMY WORSEN AFTER 3 MONTHS OF IMPROVEMENTS

• Partisanship determines Americans' view of the economy: 30% of voters overall say the economy on the right track, but 54% of Democrats think so compared to 12% of Republicans.
• 52% of voters think their personal financial situation is getting worse.

INDICTMENT STRENGTHENS TRUMP WITH REPUBLICANS AS DESANTIS FADES BUT IS NOT OUT

• 50% of voters, up 4 points from last month, now think a Trump trial will help his candidacy.
• 61% of voters believe Trump will ultimately be acquitted.
• In an open GOP primary Trump extends his lead to 55% support, with DeSantis falling to 20% support. In a head-to-head primary against DeSantis, Trump extends his lead to 61%.
• But 58% of Republican voters say DeSantis is ready to give Trump a "real challenge" for the Republican nomination.

VOTERS THINK A BIDEN SECOND TERM MEANS PRESIDENT HARRIS

• 63% of voters think Biden would not be able to finish a second term if reelected.

THE PUBLIC CONTINUES TO TAKE THE REPUBLICANS' SIDE ON DEBT NEGOTIATIONS

• 66% of voters think the U.S. government has too much debt and 55% think the government is spending too much.
• When told the national debt is $31 trillion, 65% of voters want Congress to raise the debt ceiling only with restraints on future spending.
• 81% of voters, including 81% of Democrats and 86% of Republicans, support returning the country to a balanced budget.

CRIME CONCERNS BECOME LESS PARTISAN AS VOTERS WANT STRICTER PROSECUTION

• 86% of voters think crime is a serious issue right now and 48% think crime and safety are getting worse in their own communities.
• 60% of voters, including 52% of Democrats, think police today are afraid of doing their jobs.
• 58% of Americans, including 43% of Democrats, think big city district attorneys are pulling back from prosecuting violent offenders sufficiently.
• Voters most blame rising crime in American cities on the worsening economy (23%) and prosecutors who don't enforce the laws (22%).

REGULAR AMERICANS AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH ESG

• 64% of voters have not heard of ESG investing.
• Americans are split on ESG strategies: after being given the definition, 52% of voters think investment managers have a duty to prioritize returns above all else rather than the option to consider climate and ESG concerns.

The April Harvard CAPS / Harris Poll survey was conducted online within the United States from April 18-19, 2023, among 1,845 registered voters by The Harris Poll and HarrisX. Follow the Harvard CAPS Harris Poll podcast at https://www.markpennpolls.com/ or on iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms. 

About The Harris Poll & HarrisX

The Harris Poll is a global consulting and market research firm that strives to reveal the authentic values of modern society to inspire leaders to create a better tomorrow. It works with clients in three primary areas: building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. One of the longest-running surveys in the U.S., The Harris Poll has tracked public opinion, motivations, and social sentiment since 1963, and is now part of Stagwell, the challenger holding company built to transform marketing.

HarrisX is a technology-driven market research and data analytics company that conducts multi-method research in the U.S. and over 40 countries around the world on behalf of Fortune 100 companies, public policy institutions, global leaders, NGOs and philanthropic organizations. HarrisX was the most accurate pollster of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

About the Harvard Center for American Political Studies
The Center for American Political Studies (CAPS) is committed to and fosters the interdisciplinary study of U.S. politics. Governed by a group of political scientists, sociologists, historians, and economists within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Harvard University, CAPS drives discussion, research, public outreach, and pedagogy about all aspects of U.S. politics. CAPS encourages cutting-edge research using a variety of methodologies, including historical analysis, social surveys, and formal mathematical modeling, and it often cooperates with other Harvard centers to support research training and encourage cross-national research about the United States in comparative and global contexts. More information at https://caps.gov.harvard.edu/.

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SOURCE Stagwell Inc.

FAQ

What were the results of the April Harvard CAPS / Harris Poll related to the economy?

The poll indicates that 62% of Americans think the country is on the wrong track and 52% feel their personal financial situation is worsening.

How is Trump's indictment affecting his support in the Republican primary?

The indictment has strengthened Trump's position, with 55% support in the GOP primary compared to DeSantis at 20%.

What percentage of voters want Congress to raise the debt ceiling only with spending constraints?

65% of voters believe Congress should raise the debt ceiling only with restrictions on future spending.

What is the public sentiment regarding crime and safety according to the poll?

86% of voters consider crime a serious issue, with 48% believing crime is worsening in their communities.

What percentage of Americans are familiar with ESG investing?

64% of voters have not heard of ESG investing, indicating a significant knowledge gap on the topic.