The Democratic battle against Republicans is shifting ground from the White House to Congress, according to a new report.
Last week’s debate performance by President Joe Biden triggered a strong negative reaction to Biden’s candidacy, as expressed in polling and multiple voices calling on Biden to drop out of the race.
A report from Axios claimed, major donors have become skittish about investing in Biden, who has said he has no plans to quit.
The report indicated that donors are likely to shift the power their money represents to congressional races in an effort to ensure Republicans do not control the White House, House of Representatives, and Senate.
Axios reported, one Democratic source indicated multiple donors who give big bucks to political races are turning their attention to Senate contests.
For example, the report noted that money is flowing to Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego of Arizona, who faces Republican Kari Lake in a race to succeed former Democrat Kyrsten Sinema, who is not seeking another term.
The report also indicated that fundraising for Democratic House candidates also got a boost following Biden’s performance.
The report added that Democratic donors “are increasingly attuned to the possibility of a Republican trifecta next year, one Senate Democratic campaign communications director observed.”
CNN political commentator Paul Begala said those fears may grow as lawmakers mingle with voters during the Fourth of July recess.
Will Joe Biden withdraw from the election?
“I think voters are going to say, are you out of your mind? Because Democrats are worried that not only will Biden lose to Trump, but that he’ll drag down the House and the Senate as well. And you’ll have a MAGA trifecta,” he said, according to CNN.
Democratic Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois has also noted that Biden’s decision to stay in the race will impact Congressional races.
“His decision not only impacts who’s going to serve in the White House the next four years but who’s going to serve in the Senate, who’s going to serve in the House, and it will have implications for decades to come,” Quigley said.
Joe Biden is literally malfunctioning pic.twitter.com/j6OGPitN2C
— kira 👾 (@kirawontmiss) June 28, 2024
In an Op-Ed in The New York Times, political pollster and data guru Nate Silver said his research has shown voters are not sour on Democrats as much as they are on Biden.
Noting that swing-state polls have positives for Democratic candidates, he wrote, “Voters in these polls like Democratic candidates for Congress just fine. More than fine, actually: It’s Mr. Biden who is the problem.”
“The pollsters are finding plenty of Democratic voters, just not enough Biden voters,” he wrote.
Silver wrote that for “at least a year now polls have been overwhelmingly consistent in showing that voters think Mr. Biden is too old to serve another term.”
