Voters weigh the state of the Biden-Harris economy: 'Inflation is killing us'

Amid high inflation, voters say the economy is their top concern heading into the 2024 presidential election. 

American's views on the economy worsened in July with most voters saying they’ve had to cut back on spending to afford necessities, a Fox News survey found last month. Fox News Digital spoke with voters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Birmingham, Michigan; and New York City about the state of the American economy, with many pointing to inflation as the biggest culprit contributing to their economic concerns. 

William in Milwaukee said "inflation is killing us." 

"Prices of everything is so high. This soda used to be 99 cents, now its $3.99. So yeah, it's pretty bad," he said. "If you get to where you can't pay your mortgage or pay your rent, you've got to make the choice if you're going to put gas in your car or buy food… It's bad."

Birmingham restaurant owner Naji told Fox News Digital that inflation is hurting everyone. 

"It's not what we need in this country," he said. "We need someone that's going to bring us back to what we were before." 

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Naji from Birmingham.

Working and middle-class Americans have seen their wages minimized by post-pandemic inflation with personal savings at all-time lows and credit card debt at record highs. Alyssa in Milwaukee said service job salaries, for example, have pretty much stayed consistent with inflation, which makes it "quite obvious that something is off."  

"Inflation is growing quite rapidly, and I know that the pay is just the same or just a little bit higher than what it's been in the past," she said. "But it's kind of like, from my perspective, or what I've witnessed in the service industry, I think is an incredible struggle on those people."

But, Alina in Milwaukee said the state of the economy is going to affect everyone's well-being, regardless of who you are or where you come from. 

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"I think a strong economy is really important, just for your well-being, financially, physically, mentally, everything," she said. "It makes a really big difference if you're doing okay and not struggling."

Alina from Milawukee.

"I'm 30 years old, so I feel like I'm in an age group where it definitely makes a difference how the economy is going," she added. "Being in the housing market, just buying groceries, everything has kind of gone crazy. Just inflation-wise, it's hard to really keep up. So it's definitely something that's nerve wracking for me."

Susie in Milwaukee agreed: "I think the economy, not just for me, for everybody in the United States of America, it's serious."

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Sean echoed a similar sentiment, arguing inflation is affecting everyone based on what he sees every day in his job in Birmingham. 

"I'm in mortgages," he said. "The average American right now has like $500 left in their bank account after making a mortgage payment."

Xavier from Brooklyn.

But, Angelica in Milwaukee, said the state of the economy can't be pinned on one presidential term and said she is hopeful that things will get better under a potential Harris administration. 

"It's a ripple effect of the different terms that led up to this one, so we can't put all the blame on Biden and on his campaign," she said. "Right now we are in a crisis, we are seeing prices going up, we see it in groceries and our bills and everyday life, so that is a concern for me."

"I work with unhoused people, who are experiencing homelessness," she added. "We do see a little bit more of like the really hard stuff that they're experiencing. It's a nonprofit organization, so we see them struggling with housing, keeping up with their bills, living paycheck-to-paycheck, and even food security to get baby formulas." 

Concerns of a possible recession came to a head at the beginning of the week as the stock market plunged after the U.S. jobs report for July found a weaker than expected gain. 

Xavier from Brooklyn told Fox News Digital that he is feeling the effects of inflation and admitted it is "not good," but shrugged it off, adding: "I mean what can you do."

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