(NewsNation) — Vice President Kamala Harris may be gaining ground on economic issues as the 2024 presidential race heats up, according to former economic adviser Betsey Stevenson.
In a Monday interview on “NewsNation Now,” Stevenson, a former member of the Council of Economic Advisers in the Obama administration, suggested Harris’ distance from recent inflation concerns could be helping her poll numbers on economic issues.
“Voters are ready to walk a little bit away from all the anger over inflation now that the inflation rate has come down,” Stevenson said. “But they’re not willing to forgive President Biden for it, so that might be helping Harris out.”
Stevenson noted that while presidents often receive too much credit or blame for economic conditions, longer-term trends are more significant to voters’ overall economic sentiment.
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The former Labor Department chief economist also highlighted the challenge both parties face in balancing the demands of their more extreme wings with those of moderates.
Regarding Harris’ economic policies, Stevenson cautioned against making assumptions without more details. She pointed to proposals like capping rent hikes as attempts to address economic frictions while maintaining a market-based approach.
Stevenson said the U.S. economy was strong compared to global peers, citing low unemployment and consistent growth.
However, she warned that a potential economic slowdown in the coming months could pose risks to the incumbent administration’s messaging.
