Why it matters: Moderate and progressive Democrats, especially in Parliament, fear an election tsunami this November. They tell Axios that they are not sure if the party can repair the damage in time.
“People are extremely discouraged, there is no doubt about it,” said lawmaker Annie Custer (DN.H.), a moderate and leading member of the New Democrats. Custer was among NDC members who met with President Biden on Wednesday and urged management to take action on supply chain and inflation, gas prices and a fiscal agreement bill. Member of Parliament Susan Wild (D-Pa.), A member of the Swing District, told Axios’ Andrew Solender that the poll gave credence to her distancing from Biden: “It is always worrying when the president’s numbers are bad and you are in the same party.” “In my district, and I think in most front-line districts, you win your campaign because people know you know what you’ve done … and they also know that I do not always vote for the party.”
Leading moderate MP Josh Gottheimer (DN.J.) told Axios: “It’s an alarm bell for common sense, bipartisan solutions that we need to focus on … The president has talked about a lot of them in the State of the Union now. we have to do it. “
“Democrats must first say that this is real, and accept that this is real,” said Democratic front-runner Haley Stevens (D-Mich.). “And then, you decide to have a plan to deal with [price pressures and inflation]. “ A spokesman for Mondaire Jones (DN.Y.), a prominent progressive, told Axios: “An essential explanation for the relatively low approval of the president is that Democrats are unhappy with the lack of progress we have made on some issues.”
Leading the news: Members say the NBC poll – specifically Biden’s anemic approval of 33% of the economy – is particularly heartbreaking. They felt that the president’s stature was improving after the initial handling of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the speech on the state of the Union led to better polls.
This blow was short-lived. The most positive scenario, the optimistic Democrats claim, is that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine will calm down in the coming months. Then, in turn, gas prices fall, inflation falls and the economy continues to inflate along with low unemployment and high job growth. They also hold out hope that Democrats can reach an agreement with Senators Joe Manchin (DW.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) To pass some sort of renewed Build Back Better package.
Reality check: All this must happen in a short time.
The party’s generals said the Democrats needed to accumulate a number of victories by the end of July or the beginning of August to make a possible profit in mid-November.
What they say: Jones is among those calling on Biden to take matters into his own hands.
“I think the president needs to look at this poll and do what he can using executive action, whether it is canceling student debt or cutting subsidies on fossil fuel infrastructure – that would substantially improve the lives of the American people. . and, I think, I’re gaining his approval as we approach November. “
