“Alarmingly potent” GOP criticism of the Democrats as out of touch and divisive is resonating with voters and could lead to a blue bloodbath in the midterms, according to Democratic documents published Tuesday by Politico.
SO WHAT
These warnings don’t seem to be breaking through the Democratic bubble, which is great for Republicans.
WHAT HAPPENED
In private presentations over the past two weeks, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has warned that Democrats need to distance themselves from the perception they support “defund the police” and teaching “critical race theory” in public schools, Politico reported.
According to DCCC polling and focus groups, voters in key swing districts view Democrats as “preachy,” “judgmental” and “focused on culture wars.”
- Democratic officials and operatives have urged endangered House members to rebut GOP attacks on these points or be part of a likely wipeout for the party in the November midterms.
- How bad could it get?: The politicos warned that doing nothing could allow a 4-point GOP lead in a generic ballot of swing districts to balloon to 14 points.
- The Republican attacks have been most effective with Hispanics, Independents and center-left voters, per the Democrats’ data.
WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE
Democratic insiders and strategists have for months been begging party lawmakers to change course on their woke messaging.
- Political consultant David Shor has been a leading voice on the left warning that the trendy, more radical politics en vogue with young progressive tastemakers aren’t popular even with Democratic voters.
- In November, following shock electoral upsets in Virginia and elsewhere, Democratic political strategist James Carville appeared on “PBS Newshour” and called for an end to his party’s “stupid wokeness.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., last week pledged to keep using the slogan “defund the police” despite her fellow Democrats’ pleas to stop.