(The Center Square) – The latest Vanderbilt poll shows 61% of Tennesseans believe the economy is fairly bad or very bad.
The survey of 1,223 Tennessee registered voters shows 85% believe the cost of living is expensive or somewhat expensive with only 7% saying things are affordable, according to the poll results.
When asked about the future, 67% said they believe the cost of living will increase over the next four years. More than 60% of respondents also expressed anxiety about saving for emergencies or retirement.
Tennesseans are more optimistic about the state economy with 61% of it saying it is good, according to the poll results.
Respondents were split in their opinions on tariffs. While just 46% of Tennesseans said they support them, 75% of non-MAGA Republicans backed President Donald Trump’s tariffs and 93% of Democrats were against them.
The poll was taken between April 17-27, before Trump announced a separate deals with the United Kingdom and China.
The deal announced Thursday would give the United Kingdom a 10% tariff on 100,000 automobile imports to the U.S., lower than the 25% tariff on foreign autos for other nations, according to previous reports. The 10% tariff on U.K. goods remains but the 19% tariff on ethanol imports from the U.S. to the U.K. was eliminated.
The deal announced Sunday with China was without specifics. They are expected later Monday morning.
“Regarding issues like tariffs, we observe significant divisions. Republicans are substantially more supportive, while independents and Democrats are notably less so,” said Vanderbilt Poll codirector Josh Clinton, who holds the Abby and Jon Winkelried Chair at Vanderbilt and is a professor of political science. “Whenever we ask Tennesseans about an issue related to national politics, we are far more likely to see Tennesseans of different parties disagree on the issue.”
Trump’s Make America Great Again has some divisions, according to the poll.
“One issue we ask about regarding President Trump is his efforts to centralize power in the office of the presidency at the expense of the other two branches – Congress and the courts.,” said John Geer, codirector of the Vanderbilt Poll, senior advisor to Chancellor Daniel Diermeier, professor of political science and holder of a Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair. “Among traditional Republicans, there is not a lot of support for that move. They still want the classic division of powers. They still want courts to have the final word over any presidential action or congressional action.”
