As we enter the final stretch of the 2024 election, Vice President Harris and former President Trump are tied across swing states – and new polling shows that the national debt is a critical issue for voters in these decisive states. More than 9-in-10 voters across seven key states — Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — say it’s important for candidates to have a plan for the debt, including 95% of Harris voters, 97% of Trump voters and 95% of undecided voters.
Additionally, 3-in-4 voters in these battleground states say they want candidates to talk more about the debt and their plans to address it – outpacing the percentages of voters who say the same for other hot button election issues including immigration, abortion, climate change and foreign policy.
Thus far neither candidate has put forward a plan to address or $35 trillion national debt. A recent analysis from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimated that Harris’s campaign plan would increase the debt by $3.50 trillion through 2035, while President Trump’s plan would increase the debt by $7.50 trillion. But there’s still time for candidates to put forward plans, and there are many policy options to choose from.

Further Reading
The United States is Adding to the National Debt Faster Than Ever
The nation’s debt is growing at a historic rate and eclipsing all-time highs.
Infographic: The National Debt Is Now More than $37 Trillion. What Does That Mean?
Although the national debt affects each of us, it may be difficult to put such a large number into perspective.
How Does the Aging of the Population Affect Our Fiscal Health?
As a large portion of the American population lives well beyond retirement age, the total cost of providing healthcare will grow as well.