Democrats are increasingly optimistic about America’s economy despite signs that growth is slowing and inflation has accelerated.
A month ago, thirty-two percent of Democrats said they thought the economy was getting better, according to a survey by the Economist and YouGov. Thirty-five percent said the economy was staying about the same and 28 percent said it was getting worse.
The most recent polls show a big partisan shift. The June 2-4 poll found that 40 percent of Democrats say the economy is getting better, 36 percent say it is staying the same, and 19 percent say it is getting worse.
The shift in economic perceptions run contrary to economic data, which has generally shown economic growth is slowing and fewer workers are being added to payrolls.
The eight point move among Democrats is not mirrored among other voters. A month ago, 10 percent of independents said the economy was improving. In the most recent poll, that number is unchanged. Among Republicans, the share saying the economy is getting better slipped from five percent to two percent.
The result has been a slight uptick in the overall share of the public that says the economy is getting better, from 16 percent in the end of April poll to 18 percent in the most recent poll.
