Midterms will be about COVID policies for Suburban voters
WSJ poll misses a major issue for voters
I am still stuck on the WSJ poll that I detailed in my previous newsletter - Biden’s speech gives more “signs of the times”. I just looked at the poll questions given in the survey and found that there is *not* one question about COVID and lockdowns. Not ONE! Some might say, “That was so long ago”. Well… the WSJ was fine with asking the following question that made the questionnaire think back 2 years -
Do you approve or disapprove of the job Donald Trump did as President?
Yet, there were no questions about how local, state and federal government officials and agencies handled COVID or if their voting issue was related to COVID policies?
Does the WSJ really believe that voters do not have the scarring effects both emotionally and mentally, from the extreme COVID reaction on their minds when they vote? In a previous newsletter (The “signs of the times”), I discussed the visceral reaction by people on Twitter when an article floated the idea of “COVID amnesty”. That reaction should have told anyone paying attention that people have not forgotten.
All of this makes me wonder about the conclusion drawn from WSJ poll. Is the 27% shift from August to October in white suburban women really all about economics/inflation?
Inflation and/or COVID policies
This poll data really kicked off a firestorm after President Biden’s dismal and unenergetic primetime speech on Wednesday. Democrats pounced on this incomplete conclusion from the WSJ poll, and it produced a variety of personal and racial attacks by tv hosts towards the idea that “suburban white women” should really not care so much about inflation and the economy.
Here is one example from Joy Reid who has her own tv show on MSNBC.
Here is another example of a tv co-host on “The View”.
I have no idea why they believe these arguments would persuade “suburban white women” voters to vote for Democrats, but to each his (or her) own.
Inflation is the same, but collateral damage has become real
I believe these arguments are ineffective for many reasons, but the one I will discuss today is that this poll mislead people into believing inflation was the core issue for these voters. In reality, inflation and the economy were just as bad in August as it was in October (when the poll was taken).
Q: So why was there a big shift from August to October?
A: School started in September and the learning loss is revealed.
Children’s education had become collateral damage to COVID policies and this has affected suburban women1 the most. AND they want accountability! You know you have pushed the limits when women in New York City are fed up and vote Republican for the first time just so they can get accountability.
Many Warning Signs
Democrats already had HUGE warning signs about this concern with children and education when Glenn Youngkin won the governor’s race in Virginia back in November of 2021. It was a stunning victory over Terry McAuliffe who had the backing of just about everyone. Youngkin won because he listened to what issues mattered most to the people of Virginia, and it was children’s education and parent’s rights in that education. Youngkin continues to listen to his constituents by facing the reality of the learning loss problems.
What has been Democrats take away from victories like Glenn Youngkin in Virginia? A belief in a right-wing conspiracy about parents’ rights and children’s’ education.
These types of responses are driving more Democrats, in certain states, to vote Republican come Tuesday. Here is an enlightening article from a valuable viewpoint by Jennifer Sey, a former olympic gymnast and top executive of Levi Strauss & Co.
Issues over Party
Republicans should not make the mistake in believing they have won over new voters. These voters have specific issues, and they are voting according to what has affected their lives the most over the last 2 years - COVID policies. Therefore, I see this election more about “change” and “accountability”.
Change election -
Typically means people are voting to get rid of the incumbent because things are not working.
The things not working are economics, of course, but no real change in COVID policy (Non-Americans not vaccinated are still banned from flying to US) and accountability of people in charge.
Lots of incumbents are Democrats in many of these races - Governors, House of Representatives and Senate
Accountability -
These voters want to see people be held accountable for their decisions - resign, fired, investigated.
This means that Republicans will lose their votes in 2024 if Republicans waste time talking about impeaching Biden or investigating the withdrawal of Afghanistan.
COVID policy produces A LOT of collateral damage
In my opinion, “Washington” has severely underestimated the anger out there pertaining to COVID policies. The domino effects of the COVID policies are becoming more apparent as more information has become available. One such example came from an ABC report that “New York drug overdose deaths spiked by 68% during COVID pandemic”. A reply by someone I follow on Twitter really caught my attention because she captured the main problem with the COVID policies in one simple sentence -
I was told by experts that these lives were worth the sacrifice
This statement encapsulates all the other tragic deaths and damage done to human beings mentally, emotionally and physically because we were told by bureaucrats sitting on committees at agencies like the CDC and FDA that locking down needed to happen in order to stop the spread.
Even if you do not agree with this assessment, many voters believe it to be true because of the damage done directly to their own lives. Democrats are dismissing these voters’ concerns at their own peril, and Republicans should not confuse voting on specific issues as a sign of new party loyalties.
Doesn’t all of this make you so excited for Tuesday, November 8th?!
Sincerely,
Me
According to the WSJ article - white women in suburban areas make up about 20% of voters
Great post. Unfortunately I have no faith that these ppl will be held accountable on Tuesday. Youngkin lost by huge margins in Northern Va. He won bc the red counties in the souther and western part of the state came out strong. I really hope I'm wrong. These ppl deserve a backlash
So well said. Tuesday will be very interesting.