Almost half in new poll expect economy to get worse in next year

Forty-six percent of voters say the economy will get worse in the next year, according to a new poll from The Wall Street Journal, while only 30 percent think it will get better.

One of the biggest economic issues voters see in the survey is inflation, which by a 29-point margin respondents believe will get worse. Sixty-one percent believe the economy is currently going in the wrong direction. 

Democrats are struggling to get ahead of inflation as they attempt to sell the economy’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. 

“If you look at most economic indicators, they’re really in a good place,” Rep. Cheri Bustos (Ill.) told The Hill. 

“But when you’re talking about pocketbook issues, when you’re going to fill up your gas tank and it’s costing you more, when you’re going to the grocery store and your pound of bacon costs a little bit more, people notice that stuff,” she added.

President Biden has been plagued by inflation and global supply chain issues that are keeping his poll numbers down. 

Fifty-seven percent disapprove of Biden’s job as president in the Journal poll, with 41 percent approving. 

As anxiety rises over the economy, more voters in the poll said they would back a Republican over a Democrat in the 2022 midterm elections. 

Forty-four percent in the poll said they would vote for a Republican and 41 percent said they vote for a Democrat if the election was held today. 

The poll surveyed 1,500 individuals between Nov. 16 and Nov. 22. Its margin of error is plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.