In the days after the Democratic Party’s collapse in the Virginia governor’s race, party strategists descended on the commonwealth to figure out what went wrong and understand just how bad the national outlook might be next year.
What they discovered, largely through focus groups and polling, was even worse than expected. The problems cut far deeper than the failings of their gubernatorial nominee, Terry McAuliffe, or President Joe Biden’s flagging approval ratings. Rather, the Democratic Party’s entire brand was a wreck.
In Wisconsin, Ben Wikler, the state Democratic Party chair, said Democrats running next year will be able to point to “genuine progress” made on roadwork, water quality issues and broadband — things that touch “people’s everyday lives.” In neighboring Minnesota, Ken Martin, chair of the state’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, said, “We’ve got a lot of time to really change the narrative.”
Biden’s job approval rating in the same poll was a dismal 36 percent. The disconnect shows up in almost every poll. In an ABC News/Washington Post survey, 63 percent of voters support Biden’s infrastructure bill, yet only 35 percent of voters say he’s accomplished much.
What they discovered, largely through focus groups and polling, was even worse than expected. The problems cut far deeper than the failings of their gubernatorial nominee, Terry McAuliffe, or President Joe Biden’s flagging approval ratings. Rather, the Democratic Party’s entire brand was a wreck.
In Wisconsin, Ben Wikler, the state Democratic Party chair, said Democrats running next year will be able to point to “genuine progress” made on roadwork, water quality issues and broadband — things that touch “people’s everyday lives.” In neighboring Minnesota, Ken Martin, chair of the state’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, said, “We’ve got a lot of time to really change the narrative.”
Biden’s job approval rating in the same poll was a dismal 36 percent. The disconnect shows up in almost every poll. In an ABC News/Washington Post survey, 63 percent of voters support Biden’s infrastructure bill, yet only 35 percent of voters say he’s accomplished much.
