Two-thirds of New Jersey voters believe tariffs implemented by the Trump administration have led to higher prices for them and their families, according to a Stockton University poll released Feb. 25.
One in five (21%) said they’ve had no effect, and 8% said they’ve led to reduced prices.
The poll of 700 New Jersey voters was conducted from Feb. 6-16 by the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton and has a margin of error of +/- 3.7 percentage points.
Among the two-thirds of voters who said tariffs have increased prices are 93% of Democrats, 62% of Independents and more than 22% of Republicans.
About half of Republicans (51%) think the tariffs have had no effect on the price of goods compared with 4% of Democrats and 23% of independents. Nearly one in five Republicans said they think the tariffs reduced prices whereas only 1% of Democrats and 8% of independents think the same.
“Tariffs have long been used by governments, including the United States, to protect domestic industries, address perceived unfair trade practices, and advance other political interests, but they often come with trade-offs like higher consumer prices, more expensive inputs for domestic industries, and retaliation from other countries,” said Tina Zappile, Hughes Center director and associate professor of political science.
The poll was conducted before the Supreme Court struck down much of President Trump’s sweeping tariffs that have been central to his economic agenda. The court ruled on Feb. 20 that the President cannot use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose broad, new tariffs and that “regulating commerce” during an emergency does not include the power to tax imports, which belongs to Congress.
The administration quickly invoked a different law to impose a 10% universal tariff. According to that statute, the tariffs can remain in place for 150 days before congressional approval is required. The administration indicated it would explore alternative means to continue to pursue its trade policies.
“The recent ruling adds another layer to the uncertainty that’s loomed over U.S. trade policy for the last year,” said Alyssa Maurice, Hughes Center assistant director and head of research. “New Jersey consumers recognize that trade policy doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and for most voters, tariffs translate directly into higher costs at checkout.”
Beyond tariffs, the poll also finds that many New Jersey voters believe the United States has lost ground globally over the past decade. A majority (52%) said the U.S. has a less important and powerful role as a world leader compared with 10 years ago, while 25% believe the country’s role has grown more important and 17% said it has stayed about the same.
This same question was asked exactly 10 years ago in a Stockton poll. In 2016, 45% of New Jersey voters said the U.S. has a less important and powerful role compared with a decade previous, 21% said it had a more important and powerful role, and 32% said its standing had remained unchanged.
