Must 2022 Really Be The Bloodbath Democrats Fear?
If Democrats execute responsibly and wisely, a positive midterm could well be within their grasp
Without a doubt, their electoral debacle last week has to be a wake-up call for Democrats heading into next year's midterm elections.
And, certainly, there will be much Democrats will have to get right if they are to avoid the midterm routs that they've come to expect when one of their own occupies the White House (see 1994 and 2010, specifically).
However, signs — call them “green shoots,” if you're feeling optimistic — have begun to emerge this week that indicate that perhaps midterm elections need not be so fatalistically deterministic as many were saying even in the immediate wake of Republican Glenn Youngkin's win in the governor's race in Virginia.
For one thing, of course, Democrats in Congress stopped stepping all over themselves publicly and actually proved that they could pass a major — and popular — piece of legislation with the bipartisan infrastructure deal.
The popularity of the infrastructure plan should only grow in the coming months as its practical effects in refurbishing and improving the nation’s roads, bridges and other key infrastructures become apparent and available to average Americans.
“If you look around on your daily commute, it’s no secret that 1 in 5 miles of our highways and major roads — and 45,000 of our bridges — are in poor condition. My Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal is going to repair and rebuild them. It’ll be a game changer for the country,” President Biden tweeted.
Further, after Biden weathered unexpected surges of COVID-19 across the country — largely caused by those on the political right often refusing COVID vaccines — prominent pollster Bill McInturff released results of a new public opinion poll which indicate that Americans broadly are turning more hopeful about the future of the pandemic — and that, too, should help, rebound, Biden's overall approval numbers ahead of next year's elections.
Democrats this week have also seen some ground-level developments from individual races which add up to welcome good news.
In the state of Florida, where Democratic Rep — and former governor — Charlie Crist is looking to defeat incumbent Republican governor, and potential 2024 presidential candidate, Ron DeSantis, Democrats can now point to a new poll which puts Crist well ahead.
And in the race to defend their slenderest of majorities in the Senate, Democrats can celebrate the news that New Hampshire Republican Gov Chris Sununu has decided to pass on an attempt to oust Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan, the Granite State’s junior senator.
“Big blow for GOP in hopes to take back Senate. After heavy lobbying campaign, Gov. Chris Sununu declines to challenge Maggie Hassan in #nhsen,” CNN congressional correspondent Manu Raju tweeted Tuesday.
Sununu long has been seen as the only New Hampshire Republican who could have given Hassan a tough path to reelection.
None of these developments, of course, are cause for Democratic complacency. The path over the next year likely will remain fraught for the party as it seeks to overturn historical precedent.
However, by the same token, this news should give Democrats reasonable hope that, if they continue to execute responsibly and wisely, a positive midterm could well be within their grasp.
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