Harris vs. Trump: Who Americans Trust More To Keep Their Money Safe
Written by
Preston Hartwick
Edited by
Molly Sullivan
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In 2024, nearly three-quarters of Americans said that strengthening the economy was a top priority for the government to address. No other issue was ranked as highly by the American public, outranking concerns related to terrorism, healthcare, education, crime and climate change. That means the economy should be top of mind for Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
As the U.S. presidential election approaches, the question of which candidate will be a better bet for the economy looms large. What does the polling data have to say about this issue, and how do the answers break down across different demographics?
Do Americans Trust Harris or Trump To Keep Their Money Safe?
To answer this question, GOBankingRates surveyed 1,004 Americans ages 18 and older from across the country between Aug. 5-7, 2024. Here’s how the responses were broken down:
Question
Which presidential candidate or potential presidential candidate’s policies do you believe will keep your money safe if elected to the presidency in November 2024?
| Candidate | Response Rate |
|---|---|
| Donald Trump | 37.35% |
| Kamala Harris | 39.94% |
| Either | 3.39% |
| Neither | 11.06% |
| I don’t know | 8.27% |
The available data suggests that there isn’t a clear winner when it comes to a presidential candidate who inspires confidence on economic issues — it’s a very close call with Harris taking a slight lead.
With almost one in five surveyed Americans either unsure or believing that neither candidate would keep their money safe, there’s significant room for both candidates to inspire more confidence in their economic stewardship.
How Does Age Affect the Survey?
Here’s a look at what the survey results looked like in different age groups.
| Candidate | 18 to 24 | 25 to 34 | 35 to 44 | 45 to 54 | 55 to 64 | 65 and over |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donald Trump | 45.78% | 37.32% | 34.27% | 36.76% | 38.12% | 37.02% |
| Kamala Harris | 30.12% | 38.73% | 40.85% | 39.71% | 40.88% | 43.65% |
| Either | 8.43% | 2.82% | 5.63% | 3.43% | 0.00% | 2.21% |
| Neither | 8.43% | 9.86% | 13.15% | 10.29% | 11.05% | 11.60% |
| I don’t know | 7.23% | 11.27% | 6.10% | 9.80% | 9.94% | 5.52% |
There wasn’t a huge difference in responses when broken down by generational demographics. Harris came out on top in six of the age groups, with the only standout being Trump’s large majority share among respondents between the ages of 18-24.
Respondents ages 25-34 were the most undecided, with over one in 10 reporting that they didn’t know who would do a better job.
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The largest group of respondents who believed that either candidate could do the job was ages 18-24, while the largest group who believed that neither candidate would suffice was ages 35-44.
How Did Men and Women Respond Differently?
For men and women, here’s how they feel.
| Candidate | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Donald Trump | 33.93% | 40.85% |
| Kamala Harris | 38.26% | 41.65% |
| Either | 3.75% | 3.02% |
| Neither | 13.21% | 8.85% |
| I don’t know | 10.85% | 5.63% |
Both men and women chose Harris as their first pick, though the gap in votes between Trump and Harris was wider for women than men.
Men were more likely to have a strong opinion on a single candidate than women. While 82.5% of men chose one of the two candidates, only 72.19% of women had a definitive choice. And while both men and women were almost equally likely to say that either candidate would safeguard their money, women were more inclined to believe that neither candidate was a good option.
How To Keep Your Money Safe No Matter Who’s Elected
No matter what the outcome is come election time, smart financial strategies will remain the same. Here are a few ways to minimize risk and weather any period of economic uncertainty:
- Diversify your savings. Investing in a mix of stocks, bonds and other assets will help you create a diversified portfolio that performs better over time despite political changes. Avoid putting all your funds into one type of investment because it’s harder to predict individual asset performance.
- Have an emergency fund. Make sure you have enough cash or liquid assets to cover several months of expenses. If you lose your job due to market conditions or face other difficulties, your emergency fund could see you through a period of financial upheaval.
- Minimize debt. If you end up in a financially vulnerable situation, you don’t want to add debt payments to the mix. Adopting an aggressive stance toward paying off your debt can also improve your credit score so that you have access to credit in an emergency.
- Seek financial advice from a professional. Financial advisors can help you develop personalized plans for safeguarding your assets based on your individual circumstances and financial profile.
While political change can be a source of anxiety for many, you can lower your risk potential by making wise decisions when it comes to your money. This way, your money will stay safe regardless of who’s in the White House.
Editor’s note on election coverage: GOBankingRates is nonpartisan and strives to cover all aspects of the economy objectively and present balanced reports on politically focused finance stories. You can find more coverage of this topic on GOBankingRates.com.
Methodology: GOBankingRates surveyed 1,004 Americans ages 18 and older from across the country between Aug. 5 and Aug. 7, 2024, asking 20 different questions: (1) Where do you think is the safest place to keep your money?; (2) How much physical cash do you keep at home? ; (3) If you’ve ever been the victim of identity theft, which type of theft did you experience? (Select all that apply); (4) If you’ve ever been the victim of a financial scam, which type of scam did you experience? (Select all that apply); (5) If you’ve ever been the victim of financial fraud, what type of fraud did you experience? (Select all that apply); (6) Altogether, approximately how much money have you lost due to identity theft, financial scams and/or financial fraud?; (7) What red flag tips you off most about a potential scam?; (8) How often do you worry whether your money is unprotected?; (9) Which presidential candidate or potential presidential candidate’s policies do you believe will keep your money safest if elected to the presidency in November 2024?; (10) Which presidential candidate or potential presidential candidate’s policies do you believe will protect Social Security the best if elected to the presidency in November 2024?; (11) Have you ever been scammed while using one of these apps? (Select all that apply); (12) Have you ever been scammed while using any of these social media platforms?; (13) Have you ever paid for services to protect yourself from fraud/scams? (If so, how much do you pay (monthly/annually?); (14) How confident are you that your money is safe where it currently stands?; (15) Which presidential candidate or potential presidential candidate’s policies do you believe will benefit the economy the best if elected to the presidency in November 2024?; (16) Which of the following economic/finance issues is most important to you for the 2024 election cycle?; (17) Which presidential candidate or potential presidential candidate’s policies do you believe will tackle the issue of inflation the best if elected to the presidency in November 2024?; (18) How much does your personal financial situation impact your choice of candidate in the 2024 presidential election?; (19) If you aren’t yet retired, how much do you expect to get from Social Security during your retirement?; and (20) How much of your retirement do you plan to fund with Social Security?. GOBankingRates used PureSpectrum’s survey platform to conduct the poll.
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