Although President Joe Biden’s chief pollster John Anzalone believes that the Democrats can still avoid major losses, he warned about major electoral problems going into the 2022 midterms.
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Anzalone has previously warned of Biden’s low approval rating overall and among Hispanic voters in particular. He said that voters are unhappy with the Democrats’ lack of action on key issues such as inflation and health care.
“Voters are very much in ‘What have you done for me lately?’ They always are. And they don’t feel Democrats can get their shit together and get things done,” said Anzalone per report.
He then continued saying: “So if we’re able to do something — a skinny BBB or whatever — on health insurance costs, prescription drug costs, elderly care, childcare, that’s a big deal because it will give Democrats a competitive advantage on what they’re doing for working families. And it’ll cut through the inflation narrative, the Afghan narrative, the border narrative, etc.”
Anzalone also added that “there’s this narrative in D.C. among Democrats that you only talk to Latinos about immigration. Like, immigration is the twelfth issue that they’re concerned about. It’s always about the economy or inflation or healthcare or schools.”
On the other side, as a test of their newfound gains among Hispanic voters, Republicans are pinpointing a July special election in South Texas. Mayra Flores, a Republican who will also seek a full term in November, has hopes that concerns about immigration and inflation will be decisive in flipping a seat formerly held by Democrat Filemon Vela.
Anzalone added that Democrats are too “scared of their own shadow”, after arguing that Democrats should push tax increases on wealthier Americans.
“Biden’s proposal of making those making over $400,000 pay a little bit more taxes and big corporations pay a little bit more taxes so they pay their fair share to make investments in healthcare and education and childcare is really important. Most Americans are pissed at the fact that they pay their fair share in taxes as middle-class people. They work hard. They want to see the benefits of the economy,” he said.
Republicans could pick up as many as 35 seats in the midterms, according to the beliefs of Election forecasters, which would create the party’s largest majority since the Great Depression.
“No one’s going to sit there as a Democratic consultant and try to bullshit you that this is anything but a really sour environment for Democrats,” Anzalone added.