Why do people think Republicans are better for the economy?

Throughout the 2024 election, polls showed voters believed President-elect Donald Trump would be better for the economy than President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris. That sentiment often repeats in many election cycles because Americans tend to think Republicans are better at handling the economy than Democrats. In 2012, for example, polls showed that voters trusted Mitt Romney more on the economy than Barack Obama.

There are a lot of reasons why voters would think this. Republicans have a long history of branding themselves as the pro-business party that will cut taxes and eliminate red tape. Meanwhile, Democrats run on strengthening regulations, and even though those can be popular proposals (like, say, raising the minimum wage), voters get concerned that those policies will hinder business.