Recent reports have shown inflation slowing and the economy growing at a robust clip. The Fed has also cut interest rates, bringing mortgage rates down.According to The New York Times, Vice President Kamala Harris could not have asked for a better set of economic data leading up to the election. In the past month, key inflation indicators have fallen to the Federal Reserve’s target rate of 2 percent, after years of being higher under the leadership of Harris and President Biden. The Federal Reserve also cut interest rates by half a percentage point, resulting in the lowest mortgage rates in two years. The Commerce Department confirmed that the economy has grown at a strong rate of 3 percent, taking into account rising prices. Additionally, the Census Bureau reported that the average household’s income, adjusted for inflation, has increased in 2023.

These positive numbers have given Democrats, including those in the White House and close to Harris’s campaign team, a boost of confidence. Recent polls have shown Harris catching up to or even surpassing former President Donald J. Trump in terms of who can better handle the economy and inflation.

However, it was Friday’s employment report that seemed to give Harris’s supporters an extra dose of optimism. The report showed that 254,000 jobs were added and wages are growing faster than prices. This news came just a day after dockworkers agreed to return to work until the end of the year, avoiding a potential economic disruption just weeks before the election.

Jared Bernstein, the chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, stated, “The combination of this great job market and easing inflation is generating solid real wage and income gains.” He also noted that there has been record investment in key sectors, an increase in entrepreneurship, and improvements in worker bargaining power to ensure they receive their fair share of the economic growth.

Even President Biden, who has been trying to balance acknowledging the struggles caused by high inflation while also praising the economy’s performance, seemed more positive than usual on Friday. He made a surprise appearance in the White House briefing room to celebrate the jobs report and the resolution of the port strike, which his administration helped negotiate.

Overall, the economic data leading up to the election has been favorable for Harris and the Democrats. However, it remains to be seen how this will impact the outcome of the election and if the positive trends will continue in the future. 

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