WHAT THE DATA SAY: New Mexico, not Georgia, is America’s peach (eating) state

MOOD OF COUNTRY DECLINES

Americans' views of how things are going deteriorated from last month, according to our poll with the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University.

• 28% of Americans say the country is on the right track (compared with 33% a month ago), and 29% say the economy is on the right track (compared with 32% last month).
• 52% say their personal financial situation is becoming worse (compared with 48% a month ago), while 23% say it is improving (compared with 27% a month ago).
• Inflation is far and away the most important issue to voters personally (it's the top issue for 45% of Americans, up 4 points from last month), 30 points higher than immigration, the second concern.
• Concerns about the economy also are on the rise - as a top issue for 26% of Americans, up 3 points from last month.

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE IMPACT

Our monthly poll with the Center for American Political Studies at Harvard University also shows that last week's presidential debate did not change former President Trump's lead over President Biden - but doubts have grown over President Biden's mental fitness.

• President Biden's overall approval rating dropped to 40%, his lowest since July 2022.
• 74% think President Biden is too old to be president, an 11-point increase after the debate.
• 66% have doubts about President Biden's mental fitness for office, a 12-point increase after the debate.
• President Biden's approval on handling inflation dropped to 34%, the lowest level in two years.
• 72% of Americans already have made up their minds, while 28% are still weighing their choices for November. That's a slight increase from 69% who said they already had decided last month.
• 62% characterize their personal financial situations as "fair" or "poor," up 7 points from May.
• Also, 52% say their personal financial situation is getting worse, especially Republican (69%) and rural (63%) Americans.

6 IN 10 RELY ON PARENTS AFTER OVERSPENDING

Multiple vacations and dining out are taking a toll on young adults, who are turning to parents to bail them out, according to our Harris Poll with Axios Vibes.

• 6 in 10 Americans feel financially squeezed each month.
• 40% of Millennials and Gen Z say the financial squeeze is due to "excessive spending on non-essentials" (compared with 17% of Gen X and Boomers who say the same).
• 46% who say their spending is "out of control" do so because of "FOMO," or fear of missing out.
• 43% say they are trying to keep up with more well-off friends.
• As a result, 60% of Gen Z consumers say they rely on their parents for at least some financial support.

FAVORITE SUMMER FRUITS

Peaches are the winners this summer when it comes to the fresh fruit Americans want to eat the most, according to our Harris Poll survey with Instacart.

• 62% of U.S. adults are most looking forward to eating peaches this season.
• Peaches are not perfect: Only 29% express a love for peaches' characteristic fuzz.
• Following peaches, cherries (49%), mangoes (40%), plums (35%) and nectarines (30%) are the top fruits Americans are looking forward to eating this summer.
• Love for stone fruits - including peaches, mangoes, apricots, cherries, nectarines, plums and pluots - varies for Americans state-by-state.
• New Mexico residents eat more stone fruits than anywhere else in America - 30% more than the national average. New Mexicans have a particularly sweet spot for Apricots (229% higher consumption than other states).
• Minnesota and New Jersey are second and third - 22% above the national average.
• Californians crave nectarines, eating them 76% more frequently than elsewhere.
• Surprisingly, Georgia - famous for its peaches - eats them 5% less than the national average. Georgia residents seem to prefer plums, buying them 28% more than the national average.
• Do you say 'ape-ricot' or 'app-ricot'? 63% of Americans believe 'app-ricot' is the correct pronunciation.

CALLING ALL COMMS AND PR LEADERS

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