Erin Norman is the Lee Family Fellow and Senior Director of Communications Strategies at State Policy Network.
President Biden was hitting the campaign trail hard last week to tout his economic record. He did an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett where he claimed his administration created 15 million jobs and staved off a potential massive economic collapse after the pandemic. Later in the week in Wisconsin, the President attempted to connect his legislative achievements to new projects, which bring new jobs, in the highly valued swing state.
It’s not surprising the President is trying to brand himself as the man to keep the economy strong. Recent polling from State Policy Network shows that economic issues are the top factor in how Americans will decide their vote. And the current outlook isn’t great: Only 48 percent of Americans think the American Dream is alive and well
It’s long been known that the state of the economy has a dramatic impact on an incumbent president’s chances at reelection. And while economic indicators are not as low as they have been in recent years, voters are still pessimistic about their finances. This relationship can be seen in the State Policy Network polling data—voters who think the American Dream is alive and well are significantly more likely to be enthusiastic about voting in 2024.
Despite the pessimism about the nation’s economy and its impact on participation in elections, things look better in individual states. According to a recent Washington Post article, a majority view their state’s economy as being strong and many view their state as being on the right track—regardless of what they think about the nation.
How states can be seen as on the right track, but the nation on the wrong track has some experts confused, but the explanation is simple—states can set policies that work for their specific populations without having to try and please a large and diverse nation full of voters with different needs and economic environments. The result is that states are nimbler and more responsive and therefore get higher marks than a national government that promises to fix all and cannot deliver. Indeed, SPN’s polling shows that nearly two-thirds of voters agree that states should be able to make their own laws that reflect the different values, priorities, and needs of their citizens.
President Biden can continue to try and persuade voters that he is the right man to turn the economy around. But in truth, there is more opportunity for leaders at the state level to make a meaningful impact on economic policy that helps Americans realize the American Dream. A successful presidential candidate is likely the one that shows they are willing to let the states take the lead.
