Grand Canyon Times

Only 39 percent of registered voters in four key battleground states have confidence in President Biden's handling of the economy, a new poll shows. Additionally, it found that 77% of voters in the states—Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia, and North Carolina—all of which expect to play a pivotal role in the 2024 presidential election, also said that the country is heading down the wrong track. The League of American Workers released a poll highlighting that voters in key battleground states, including Arizona, have expressed low faith in President Biden's handling of the economy.

The results of the poll were released in an article penned by Steve Cortes, chairman and founder of the League of American Workers, according to RealClear Politics. Cortes argued that the reason for the "pervasive pessimism" shown in the poll, highlighted by the 77% of battleground state voters who believe the country is going down the wrong track, can be found in those same voter's disapproval of Biden's handling of the economy. Cortes notes that of the mere 39% of respondents who approved, only 9% registered "strong approval," while 48% of the 57% that disapproved of Biden's job registered "strong disapproval." The battleground survey was conducted by North Star Opinion Research of 800 registered voters ending October 25, 2023.

"While the President may be selling 'Bidenomics', these results indicate that Battleground state voters aren't buying," said Jon McHenry, a partner with North Star who conducted the survey.

The GDP grew 4.9 percent in the third quarter, thanks in large part to consumer spending, but that growth has not translated into support for the Biden Administration's handling of the economy of "Bidenomics" as the economic philosophy the president has embraced. Inflation fears are persistent, as are concerns that the economic expansion will begin to slow due to dwindling consumer savings and lower incomes after accounting for inflation. Interest rate increases, fueling the 30-year mortgage rate close to eight percent, also have a dampening effect on economic growth.

Inflation, though down from its peak of more than nine percent last year, remains high. Per the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index in the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale metro area in August 2023 was up 3.7 percent over August 2022. 

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' most recent Consumer Price Index report, the overall CPI rose 3.7 percent from September 2022 to September 2023. This included a rise in the nationwide food index, which increased 3.7 overall, with bakery and cereal products up 4.8 percent over that period. Additionally, the report found that the cost of new vehicles rose 2.5 percent and the gas index rose by 3 percent. 

An October 2023 report by Insurance.com shows that the average five-year cost of car ownership in Arizona is $23,294, the ninth highest cost in the country. 

According to GasBuddy, as of October 26, Arizona has the seventh highest gas prices in the country at $4.077 per gallon for regular gasoline, about 16.9 percent higher than the national average of $3.489.