A recent survey conducted by the Financial Times and the University of Michigan has revealed a significant shift in public opinion regarding trust in handling the economy. Vice President Kamala Harris has made significant gains in this area, eroding one of Donald Trump's key advantages over the past few months.

For a considerable period, various surveys consistently indicated that Republicans, particularly Trump, were trusted more than Democrats when it came to economic matters. This trust was largely attributed to the economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, including surging consumer prices and global energy price spikes triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. President Joe Biden faced political consequences throughout his presidency due to these economic challenges, consistently trailing Trump in trust ratings on economic issues, particularly inflation.

However, there appears to be a glimmer of hope for the Democratic camp as Vice President Harris has managed to detach herself from Biden's economic baggage. The Financial Times survey, released on Sunday, showcased a substantial improvement in Harris's economic trust ratings. While Biden's figures hovered around 35 percent, trailing Trump who stood at 41 percent, Harris managed to secure 42 percent of the voters' trust, surpassing Trump by a slim margin. This marks the first time this year that a Democratic candidate has overtaken their Republican counterpart on this subject.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect is that Harris's surge in economic trust ratings coincides with Trump's consistent performance in the tracking poll, with little variation and remaining at 41 percent for the past three months. Additionally, this shift has occurred amidst high voter pessimism about the economy, which even increased by three percentage points between July and August, with a staggering 73 percent of voters expressing a negative outlook on the US economy.

While Harris's rise in key battleground states has been attributed in part to concerns about Biden's age and his shaky performance during the June presidential debate, the vice president's ascent to the top of the Democratic ticket has generated immense enthusiasm among Democratic voters. Her campaign has garnered an overwhelming wave of support as an alternative to the Trump-Biden rematch scheduled for November. In July alone, Harris's campaign raised $310 million after Biden's withdrawal, and an additional $36 million within a 24-hour period following the announcement of her running mate status.

Trump, reportedly perturbed by Harris's resurgence in the polls, held a press conference at Mar-a-Lago this past week, launching a scathing attack on his new opponent. As the election draws nearer, all eyes will be on Harris and Trump as they battle for economic trust, a pivotal factor in winning over voters in the coming months.