A local economist has weighed in on the economy’s performance under President Trump, which many say should be credited to President Obama.

His verdict, comparing what’s comparable: Trump comes out ahead.

Ernie Goss, research faculty with the Craig School of Business at Fresno State, compared President Obama’s last 1  1/2 years in office to Trump, who has been in office for about 1  1/2 years.

Under Trump’s period, the economy expanded by 4.1 percent, compared to 2.2 percent for Obama.

“Not only was growth significantly stronger in the Trump era, growth in the Obama Administration was trending downward in his last 1.5 years. Conversely, growth in the Trump Administration is trending upward,” Goss wrote in a recent blog posting.

While Goss notes that the president’s influence on the economy is limited, Trump’s pro-business policies have likely played a role in the economy’s growth over the last year.

“There is evidence that Trump’s economic policies of less regulation and lower taxes are pushing most economic metrics in a more favorable direction than experienced during the 1.5 years before Trump took office,” Goss wrote.