Survey says: This isn’t just Obama’s economy anymore.
For the first time, voters are now essentially evenly divided on whether President Donald Trump or former President Barack Obama is more responsible for the current state of economy.
Back in March, two-thirds of voters said Obama was more responsible for the economy vs. only 19% who said Trump was more responsible, according to a Quinnipiac University poll.
Now, Obama’s number has dropped more than 20 percentage points to just 43%, essentially even with the 41% who say Trump is more responsible for the economy. In that same time period, perceptions on the state of the economy have edged slightly more positive in Quinnipiac polling.
But voters do already say Trump is more responsible for the state of the stock market — by a wide 22-point margin. Among those who say the stock market is in good shape, they credit Trump by a two-to-one margin.
The survey shows voters believe Trump is slightly more responsible for the job market by a slim four-point spread. Americans are essentially even on who is responsible for more wages.
Still, partisan splits make a big difference. Among Republicans who say the economy is in good shape, they give the credit to Trump by a two-to-one margin. Among Democrats who believe the same, Obama has a six-to-one advantage.
Trump has touted low unemployment numbers and stock market records since his election one year ago. Obama oversaw the recovery from the Great Recession at the end of George W. Bush’s term, including a climbing stock market and plummet in unemployment.
This Quinnipiac University poll was conducted from Nov. 15-20, 2017 among 1,415 registered voters. The margin of error is ±3.1 percentage points; it is larger for subgroups.