Trump is struggling with independents on economy and inflation matters, according to a survey

In a recent poll conducted between July 25-28, former President Donald Trump's approval ratings among independent voters have taken a hit, with significant concerns about his handling of the economy, inflation, and immigration.

According to CNN's Harry Enten, Trump's net approval rating on inflation stands at -45 points among independent voters, compared to President Joe Biden's -38 points last year. This suggests that inflation, an issue that helped get Trump elected, is now the issue most likely to drag him down.

The poll found that only 29% of independent voters approve of Trump's handling of the economy, 24% approve of his handling of inflation, and 37% approve of his handling of immigration. These low approval ratings are a stark contrast to the 9 percentage point advantage Joe Biden held over Trump among independents in the 2020 election.

Independents are seen as a key voting group in presidential elections, and their role was significant in the 2020 election. However, in the 2024 election, Pew Research found that independent voters were evenly split between Trump and then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

The current opinion of independent voters on Trump's economic policy is not explicitly detailed in the search results. However, it is indicated that Trump's policies, such as tax cuts, deregulation, and tariffs, have mixed impacts, including boosting the US economy but causing strain on trade partners and some domestic sectors. This likely contributes to the divided opinions among voters.

The poll also shows that 9% of independent voters are unsure about Trump's job performance. Enten believes that inflation is the issue that cost Biden the presidency more than any other factor and is now even more problematic for Trump.

The margin of error for the entire sample is plus or minus 3.4 percentage points, while the margin of error for registered voters is plus or minus 3 percentage points. Overall, 40% of all adults approve of Trump's job performance, while 55% say they disapprove. Among registered voters, 44% approve, and 53% disapprove.

Interestingly, the poll found that respondents were divided along party lines when asked about Trump's job performance, with 6% of Democrats approving and 86% disapproving. Conversely, 91% of Democrats disapprove of Trump's job performance, while only 12% of Republicans say the same.

Trump's lackluster support among independents in the latest poll follows other recent surveys. In the latest YouGov/The Economist poll, 29% of independent voters approve of Trump's job performance, while 62% disapprove.

In conclusion, the latest poll results suggest that Trump's approval ratings among independent voters remain low, particularly on the issue of inflation. As the 2024 election approaches, it will be interesting to see how these numbers evolve and what impact they may have on the race.