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
Fed Holds Rates as Interest Costs on the National Debt Top $1 Trillion
High interest rates on U.S. Treasury securities increase the federal government’s borrowing costs.
Quarterly Treasury Refunding Statement: Borrowing Could Rise Soon
The U.S. Treasury has signaled its intention to add $1.4 trillion in new debt between July and December.
What Is Stagflation, and How Would It Affect the National Debt?
Stagflation is rare, but when it does happen, it can have significant negative consequences for the economy and the national debt.