Overall economic evaluations are affected by partisanship. During the Obama Administration, Democrats were more positive about the state of the economy than were Republicans. Nowadays, with Republican Donald Trump in the White House, positions are reversed.
Partisan economic assessments also affect how people see their own lives. Nearly half of Republicans in the latest Economist/YouGov Poll say their family’s financial situation has improved in the last year, compared with only 15% of Democrats. Republicans also see and hear better economic news: 63% of them have heard mostly positive economic news recently, more three times the percentage of Democrats (19%) who say that.
One area where there has been relatively little impact of partisanship has been in American perception of their own job situation. Majorities of those who are employed currently aren’t especially worried about losing their job, though Republicans are less concerned than Democrats. Seven in 10 Republican workers are not very worried about losing their job, more than 58% of Democratic workers who say this.
But there is now a clear partisan gap in how workers feel about their jobs. More than a third (40%) of Republicans, which is among the highest percentages reported in any Economist/YouGov Poll taken during the Trump Administration, now say they are “very happy” with their jobs. Democrats are 17 points less likely to say this.
Republican women still express more happiness than Democrats with their job, but they are also less likely than GOP men to be very happy about them. Little difference exists between Democratic men and Democratic women. Democratic happiness has changed relatively little through the president’s term.
The economy continues in this poll to be the president’s strength. Nearly half the public approves of how Donald Trump is handling the economy (47% approve and 38% disapprove), which is seven points higher than the share of people who approve of how he is handling his job overall (40% approve and 51% disapprove).
