{"id":2367591,"date":"2024-11-12T07:42:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-12T12:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-would-have-been-better-off-with-a-red-wave-two-years-ago-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-11-12T07:43:24","modified_gmt":"2024-11-12T12:43:24","slug":"democrats-would-have-been-better-off-with-a-red-wave-two-years-ago-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-would-have-been-better-off-with-a-red-wave-two-years-ago-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Democrats would have been better off with a red wave two years ago &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">32<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdemocrats-would-have-been-better-off-with-a-red-wave-two-years-ago-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2367591&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article titled &#8220;Democrats would have been \u200dbetter off with a red wave two years ago&#8221; discusses the implications of the\u2064 Democrats&#8217; success in the\u200b 2022 midterm elections. The author argues that this victory may have actually hindered the party&#8217;s \u200dprospects for the future, particularly with Donald Trump&#8217;s recent electoral \u2064win, which is likely to \u200bgive Republicans unified control of the federal government.<\/p>\n<p>The piece suggests that Democrats believed they needed no major\u2063 adjustments heading into 2024, despite losing control of the House. President Biden&#8217;s response to a question regarding \u200bhis\u200d plans to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/chris-christie-doubts-indictment-would-help-trump-in-2024\/\" title=\"Chris Christie Doubts Indictment Would Help Trump In 2024\">change public perception<\/a> of \u200bhis administration hinted \u200cat a lack of acknowledgment of the issues affecting voters, \u200bsuch\u200b as inflation\u200b and immigration.<\/p>\n<p>The article highlights internal\u2064 divisions\u2062 within the Democratic Party, especially among younger \u2062and minority members, who \u200cexpressed disillusionment with Biden&#8217;s leadership. It notes\u200d Biden&#8217;s low approval \u200bratings and the challenges he faces, including concerns about his\u2064 age.\u200c The article also examines how Republicans failed to capitalize on the opportunities \u200cpresented by Biden&#8217;s \u200dadministration but gained traction as\u2062 the \u2063political landscape evolved towards the elections in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>In comparison, the author\u200d contrasts the current situation with previous presidencies, explaining how past Democratic\u2063 leaders faced setbacks \u2063in midterm elections yet\u2062 managed to secure second\u200b terms by making necessary \u2062adjustments. the article provides a critical analysis of the Democrats\u2019 electoral strategies and their consequences for future elections.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Democrats would have been better off with a red wave two years ago<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1877296\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The Democrats&rsquo; overperformance in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/midterms-2022\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">midterm elections<\/a> two years ago looks like a pyrrhic victory after President-elect <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Donald Trump<\/a>&rsquo;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/in_focus\/3223022\/donald-trump-returns-second-term-agenda\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">win last week<\/a>, likely giving Republicans unified control of the federal government.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>In some ways, the midterm elections might have been the worst of all possible worlds for Democrats: They came away believing they needed no&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/2024-elections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">major adjustments for 2024<\/a>&nbsp;and that they had the playbook for beating Trump but still lost control of the House anyway.<\/p>\n<p>That was President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/joe-biden\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Joe Biden<\/a>&rsquo;s take when he held a press conference at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/white-house\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">White House<\/a> the day after the 2022 elections.<\/p>\n<p>Noting that polls showed 75% saying the country was headed in the wrong direction, a reporter asked, &ldquo;What in the next two years do you intend to do differently to change people&rsquo;s opinion of the direction of the country, particularly as you contemplate a run for president in 2024?&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3220757\/what-happens-donald-trump-president-elect\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong>WHAT HAPPENS NOW THAT TRUMP IS PRESIDENT-ELECT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Nothing, because they&rsquo;re just finding out what we&rsquo;re doing,&rdquo; Biden replied. &ldquo;The more they know about what we&rsquo;re doing, the more support there is.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>This answer foreshadowed the Democrats&rsquo; defeat as surely as Vice President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/kamala-harris\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Kamala Harris<\/a>&rsquo;s inability to differentiate herself from Biden when asked to do so by Sunny Hostin on <em>The View<\/em>. The central Democratic conceit was there was nothing wrong &mdash; not inflation, the border, or global instability &mdash; that couldn&rsquo;t be resolved by greater public awareness of their legislative wins under Biden.<\/p>\n<p>Losing the House, however, ensured Democrats could no longer pass legislation along party lines for the rest of Biden&rsquo;s term. Even the net gain of one seat in the Senate only marginally improved the Democrats&rsquo; functional control of that chamber because most legislation requires 60 votes to clear a filibuster, a rule they lacked the votes to abolish or reform, and reconciliation was a dead end without a Democratic House.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans won the popular vote for the House in 2022. Their problem was that it wasn&rsquo;t distributed efficiently enough to maximize their number of seats. Questionable candidate quality cost the&nbsp;GOP the Senate, as happened during the Tea Party era, but they still won three of the seven most competitive races and forced a fourth to a runoff.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Polls showed fissures in the Democratic coalition, with minority and younger members of the parties especially disillusioned. Biden&rsquo;s job approval rating was low, especially on issues such as the economy, inflation, and immigration. There was deep dissatisfaction with the direction of the country. Young Democrats, especially, were worried about Biden&rsquo;s age and wanted other options.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Democrats tried to ignore the age concerns until Biden&rsquo;s June 27 debate against Trump made that untenable. Harris was less defensive of the<a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bidenomics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> Biden economic record<\/a>, conceding high prices were a problem and proposing anti-gouging measures to help alleviate them. But she leaned even more heavily on celebrity endorsements and appeals to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/erickson-financial-stop-and-frisk-is-coming-soon\/\" title=\"ERICKSON: Financial \u2018Stop-And-Frisk\u2019 Is Coming Soon\">college-educated white voters<\/a> than Biden did, worsening the Democratic ticket&rsquo;s prospects elsewhere.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Republicans were not able to capitalize on the opportunities Biden created for them in 2022. By 2024, with Trump, Biden, and then eventually Harris on the ballot once again, the Trump-led GOP was able to break through.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Previous Democratic presidents had bad midterm elections but won a second term. Democrats lost 54 House seats and their majority in the chamber for the first time in 40 years under President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/bill-clinton\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Bill Clinton<\/a> in 1994. Republicans also took the Senate that year. In 2010, Democrats lost 63 House seats and their majority in what then-President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/barack-obama\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Barack Obama<\/a> described as a midterm &ldquo;shellacking.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Clinton course-corrected, tacking to the center. Obama fine-tuned his messaging. Both men ran against the perceived excesses of the new Republican congressional majorities. And both were reelected, in Clinton&rsquo;s case fairly easily.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>For Biden and later Harris, the midterm elections weren&rsquo;t seen as an electoral rebuke. That led Democrats to believe that whatever rightward shift was going on would remain confined to blue states the GOP would not be able to flip and red states where Republicans were already heavily favored anyway. The battleground states would remain impervious to any red wave, forming a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">real protective blue wall<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Instead, the country was two years further removed from the <em>Dobbs v. Jackson Women&rsquo;s Health Organization <\/em>decision on abortion and two years deeper into a spike in consumer prices, with Trump turning out his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/nrsc-boss-daines-puts-finger-on-group-that-he-says-will-deliver-senate-for-gop-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"NRSC boss Daines puts finger on group that he says will deliver Senate for GOP - Washington Examiner\">lower-propensity voters<\/a> and Harris on the ballot as an incumbent. Consequently, the blue wall fell.<\/p>\n<p>The extra two years Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) got to be majority leader rather than minority leader will be cold comfort when Democrats watch Trump and Republican majorities get sworn into office in January.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1877296\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1877296\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Democrats may have fared better with a red wave two years ago<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2659,"featured_media":2367593,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Donald-Trump-election-24x1-Congress-Johnson.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[3685,36432,33017,44138,32076],"class_list":["post-2367591","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-democrats","tag-electoral-strategy","tag-political-analysis","tag-red-wave","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Donald-Trump-election-24x1-Congress-Johnson.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2367591","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2367591"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2367591\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2367596,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2367591\/revisions\/2367596"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2367593"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2367591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2367591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2367591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}