Despite an onslaught of negative news about tariffs, volatile stock markets and the deficit-expanding One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Americans by a significant margin still say it's Republicans, not their progressive critics, who are best able to manage the U.S. economy.

A new CNN poll found that voters favor the GOP over Democrats on key measures such as the ability to get things done (17 percentage points in favor of Republicans), the party of change (7 point advantage) and the party closer to their economic views (7 point GOP lead).

"This speaks to Democratic problems on the economy better than basically anything that you could possibly look at," CNN's chief data analyst Harry Enten said about the poll.

Republicans' advantage on the economy comes as no surprise to conservatives like me. Donald Trump's focus on the economy is largely why Americans elected him president again.

Economy shows signs of strength

In less than five months, Trump has upended decades of economic policy. Yet, the economy remains strong and shows signs of fresh growth. That's a remarkable feat.

On CNN, Enten described the Republicans' advantage over the Democrats on the economy with skepticism: “How is that possible, Democrats? How is that possible after all the recession fears, after the stock markets been doing all of this, after all the tariffs that Americans are against, and Republicans still hold (a) lead on the economy. Are you kidding me?"

News reports and commentary from many mainstream news media outlets continue to describe an economy in distress, but actual economic markers indicate otherwise.

Here are a few data points:

  • The Consumer Confidence Index jumped more than 12 points in May.
  • The Consumer Price Index showed the rate of inflation in April was only 2.3%, the third consecutive monthly decline under Trump. The pace of 12-month price increases hasn't been this low since February 2021.
  • Stock markets have rebounded after Trump's tariffs sparked fears of a recession this spring. The S&P 500 recorded its best May since 1990.
  • The job market also remains strong. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that about 177,000 jobs were created in April, and that the unemployment rate stands at 4.2%, which is low by historical standards.

My favorite part of the jobs reports is these amazing four words: "Federal government employment declined." Music to my ears.

Americans still recovering from high inflation

Americans don't trust the Democratic Party on the economy for many reasons, but the primary one is how the Biden administration's policies fueled painful spikes in the cost of necessities, including food, housing, gas and autos. Under President Joe Biden, the rate of inflation hit a 40-year high in 2022.

The inflation rate has slowed considerably, but millions of Americans still feel the daily strain of the higher cost of living.

Democrats, including 2024 presidential nominee Kamala Harris, offered few viable solutions. Harris showcased economic plans that were a pile of steaming socialist garbage as a way to pander to voters.

Remember when Harris blamed the high cost of groceries on price gouging? She wanted to ban it. No thanks.

She also wanted to hand out down payments to homebuyers like candy to children − at a huge cost to the American taxpayer. No thanks.

She even promised to pass out "forgivable" loans for Black men to start businesses. And in an ugly mix of pandering and stereotyping, Harris said she planned to ensure that Black men had the opportunity to buy in as the “national cannabis industry takes shape.” No thanks.

It's no wonder that the Democrats have lost support among middle-class Americans.

"Republicans have completely closed the gap" with middle-class voters, Enten said on CNN.

The middle class has shifted toward the Republican Party because conservative economic principles − smaller government, lower taxes, deregulation − help everyday Americans earn and keep more money. Small businesses, the backbone of America's economy, will especially benefit from the tax cuts in Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Americans have learned the hard way not to trust congressional Democrats with the economy. They're now turning to Republican lawmakers to foster growth and prosperity. They're right to do so.

Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist with USA TODAY. She lives in Texas with her four kids. Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Track, and get it delivered to your inbox.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Guess who Americans want to run the economy? Hint: It's not Democrats. | Opinion

Reporting by Nicole Russell, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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