Will Democrats learn from early election results? by Kristen Eichamer
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/op-eds/will-democrats-learn-from-early-election-results
When the Washington Post reports that the Democratic Party is facing a “Superstorm ” of revolt from voters, you know the political landscape looks pretty bleak for Democrats. Virtually every national political analyst and pollster is predicting that Republicans will easily win back majority control of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022.
A recent ABC News/Washington Post poll revealed that if the midterm elections were held now, 51% of all registered voters would vote for a Republican in their congressional district. Only 41% of those surveyed said they would support a Democrat. That’s the largest lead for Republicans in more than 100 surveys taken by ABC and the Post since 1981 .
Even more troubling for liberals is how this same survey found that 62% of participants said the Democratic Party is “out of touch” with the concerns of most citizens. Mainstream news outlets are offering their usual excuses for the Republican wave, saying it’s a historical trend that the party occupying the White House loses congressional seats in midterm elections. News coverage also blames Democratic troubles on redistricting efforts in several states that will give Republican candidates advantages in 2022.
While these factors are true to a degree, centrist Democrats such as Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Mark Warner of Virginia, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, and a few others are voicing serious concerns about the broader agenda, the direction, and the political tone of a Democratic Party that has become hijacked by aggressive, outspoken activist members who demand unpopular, even frightening, policy changes in our country.
When Republican Glenn Youngkin won the governor’s race in Virginia race this month, he did it by campaigning on “kitchen-table” issues such as parental involvement in education and an immediate end to the politicization of public school classrooms. Youngkin called for lower taxes, and he voiced respect and support for law enforcement.
Youngkin’s Democratic opponent dug in on education, siding with shrill activists who lashed out at the parents who dared to question education officials. School board officials went as far as calling in the Department of Justice to intimidate parents and label them as domestic terrorists. Parents in Virginia have alleged that FBI agents are infiltrating school board meetings. When Democrat Terry McAuliffe said during a candidate debate that parents have no business telling schools what they should teach, he sealed his own political fate.
More voters are becoming aware of a Democrat political agenda that is not focused on voter top priorities such as reducing inflation, growing the economy, and strengthening border and national security. Instead, many Democrats are actively promoting race-based education, brazenly moving to defund police, and needlessly expanding Medicaid, which has bloated the program to a record 83 million people, a 12% increase over March of 2020 .
Biden has also focused on pushing policies that actively discourage work. The administration illegally expanded food stamps by 25% over pre-pandemic levels, even as many choose not to work . Democrats pushed for expanded unemployment benefits and bonuses that were ultimately extended on multiple occasions. Not working became more lucrative for many in America than returning to a job, according to Foundation for Government Accountability research. In September, a record 4.4 million workers quit their jobs , greatly compounding a national labor shortage of more than 10.4 million workers.
So, what are most Democrats doing in the wake of this sobering negative reaction from voters in Virginia, New Jersey, and other states? National Democratic leaders are not advocating for moderation or compromise. They are, according to Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy, “doubling down on stupid.”
And while prominent Democrats try to spin a good line about their chances in the 2022 elections, others see the reality of an ugly election cycle ahead. The results of the November elections in Virginia and typically blue New Jersey are slapping Democrat candidates like a thunderclap. Democrat Rep. Jackie Speier of California became the 14th House Democrat to announce she won’t be running for reelection in 2022. That list also includes House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth of Kentucky and House Democratic Steering Committee co-Chairwoman Cheri Bustos of Illinois. And a most senior Democrat, Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the longest-serving member of the U.S. Senate, also announced he is calling it quits.
Many members of Congress and Hill staff have said over the years that it’s not nearly as gratifying to serve in the minority party. If Democrats don’t learn from these early election results and adopt more social and physically responsible policies, they might relegate themselves to permanent minority party status.
Kristen Eichamer is a visiting fellow at the Opportunity for Solutions Project. For more information visit solutionsproject.org .
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