Republicans are revamping the slogan, “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?” to argue that Americans were better off under former President Trump than they are under President Biden. They cite economic issues, particularly inflation, foreign policy conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, and border security as areas where Trump performed better.
This argument poses a challenge for Biden as he enters a crucial campaign phase. A Democratic strategist acknowledged, “These are the issues voters care about and we’re losing the debate on each one.” However, Democrats argue that the comparison ignores the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which Trump’s handling was widely criticized.
“Four years ago, we were in the middle of a pandemic, and Donald Trump was making it worse,” said Democratic strategist Jamal Simmons. He compared the GOP’s argument to saying, “Before your house got broken into, wasn’t your neighborhood safe?”
Despite this, some GOP strategists believe the argument can still work for Trump. Doug Heye, a Republican strategist who doesn’t support Trump, noted, “Voters are upset with the direction of the country,” pointing to rising prices and the border crisis.
Recent polls support the Republican rationale. An ABC News/Ipsos poll last month showed voters trust Trump over Biden on the economy and inflation by 14 points. An AP/NORC poll in April revealed 68% of adults disapprove of Biden’s immigration policies. On foreign policy, a New York Times/Siena poll in May found half of voters in battleground states trust Trump more than Biden on handling the Gaza conflict.
Trump aides highlight these polls as proof. “The answer is they are better off and polling makes that clear,” said Trump spokesperson Danielle Alvarez.
Democrats, however, insist Biden needs to contrast his policies with Trump’s. “Elections are about choices. It is not a referendum,” said Democratic strategist Tim Hogan, adding that Biden must continue framing Trump’s policies as harmful.
Despite the challenges, Democrats are committed to proving their point. “People do think things were better under Trump,” said a Democratic strategist. “So now it’s up to us to prove them wrong.”