In a new Fox News survey, 51 percent of likely voters say Donald Trump would do a better job handling the economy than Hillary Clinton, while 44 percent say Clinton would do better.

It's an issue on which Trump led Clinton for many months. But in the late summer, when Trump's campaign was troubled and his economic message was drowned out by serial controversies, Clinton's economic rating climbed until in one Fox poll, taken in late August, the two were tied on the economy, 48 percent to 48 percent.

In CNN polling, Trump fell behind Clinton on the economy over the summer but has now retaken the lead on the issue.

Trump's renewed advantage on the economy suggests his focus on issues and a more disciplined campaign style are paying off for him.

And not just issues — economic issues. A new Bloomberg poll of Ohio showed just how critical economic issues are for voters with less than two months to go before Election Day. Bloomberg pollsters read a list of nine issues to likely voters — immigration, healthcare, climate change, the threat from the Islamic State, taxes, a decline in real income for American workers, unemployment and jobs, trade and other. Unemployment and jobs was at the top of the list, with 36 percent, followed by income decline at 17 percent. (Healthcare was also at 17 percent.) If one added together the economy-related issues — jobs, income, taxes, and trade — the total came to 64 percent. That dwarfed concerns about any other topic, including terrorism.

Bloomberg also found economic attitudes in Ohio lining up for Trump. For example, pollsters asked specifically about NAFTA and other trade agreements: "Do you think trade deals such as NAFTA do more to increase Ohio exports to add jobs, or more to entice Ohio companies to move and to decrease jobs?" Just 20 percent of likely voters said NAFTA has increased jobs in the state, while 57 percent said it decreased jobs. (Twenty-three percent didn't know.) That 57 percent is a very big number for Donald Trump.

Trump attempted to press his advantage with a speech Thursday at the New York Economic Club. It began with a paean to traditional American economic strength likely to resonate in the Rust Belt — "It used to be cars were made in Flint and you couldn't drink the water in Mexico. Now, the cars are made in Mexico and you can't drink the water in Flint" — and featured a special emphasis on orthodox Republican positions on economic growth. It was a point not lost on growth-oriented conservative commentators. "Donald Trump made his best case yet for his presidential candidacy Thursday," wrote Fox Business' Charles Gasparino, a frequent Trump critic.

As Trump highlighted the economy, his opponents focused other topics intended to push the media conversation away from Trump's strength. They had some success. For example, the Washington Post conducted an interview with Trump on Wednesday, and in its write-up posted Thursday night covered the following: birtherism; Trump's wife's immigration history; polls and the possibility Clinton's "deplorables" attack may have backfired; the alt-right; Trump's appeals to African-American voters; more birtherism; rumors that Trump might start a TV network if he loses; Roger Ailes; debate preparation; Anderson Cooper; Vladimir Putin; Trump's health; Clinton's health.

It wasn't a list of topics likely to move many votes in Ohio, if the Bloomberg pollsters are correct. Whether Trump can, through it all, stay focused on the economy and other issues that do move votes will likely determine whether he has a chance to win in November or not.