Harris looks to sharpen economic message with a focus on cutting costs
Vice President Kamala Harris will try to shake negative perceptions about Biden's handling of the economy as voters continue to fret about the trajectory.
WASHINGTON — For much of his presidency, Joe Biden struggled to convince Americans their financial condition was better than they perceived. Now, Vice President Kamala Harris will try to shake those negative perceptions as voters continue to fret about the trajectory of the economy.
Harris will lay out more details on her economic policy agenda during a speech in North Carolina on Friday where she is expected to focus on lowering prices, including a plan to prevent price gouging by major food producers and grocers, the campaign said. Harris will also propose a crackdown on acquisitions among food companies if those deals could lead to higher grocery prices.
The economy and concerns around rising costs have been among the top issues for voters, who have consistently given Biden low marks. While Biden sought to emphasize the positives, like relatively low unemployment and strong economic growth, he was unable to improve voters’ sentiments amid decades-high inflation. Former President Donald Trump has sought to tie Harris to the view on Biden, frequently asserting that she bears responsibility for all of the current administration's policies.
Harris will have an opportunity during her remarks Friday and at next week’s Democratic National Convention to refocus the message on lowering costs for consumers and shift voters' attention towards the future.
“Biden has always been focused on jobs and unemployment and that’s not what voters have been saying they are concerned about. For three years now, it was how much they’re paying for groceries and gas and the cost of housing that they were concerned about.” said Jeff Horwitt, a Democratic pollster with Hart Research. “It is much more about understanding where people are and what you’re doing to make a difference than trying to tell them something that they don’t believe.”
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