Some Democrats reportedly fear a political backlash in November from the increasing anti-Israel protests on university campuses.
With election day on November 5 just 187 days away, the protests dominated news cycles for weeks, but it is unknown how long they will continue. It is also uncertain whether the protests will remain relevant in voters minds at the time of the election.
To head off any potential blowback in November, Democrat lawmakers raised concerns about the growing threat to their political future.
“The longer they continue, and the worse that they get, the worse it’s going to be for the election,” a House Democrat told Axios on Wednesday.
Insane! Columbia University Protesters Smash Windows, Barricade Themselves Inside Building
The protests are “bringing out [the public’s] most conservative side,” the person added. “Many people are super frustrated and concerned.”
Protests seem to be growing in volume and violence. Unrest beset Utah, Virginia, Arizona, North Carolina, and Florida. Authorities arrested hundreds of protestors in the last day.
Early Tuesday morning, Columbia University students seized a university building, smashing windows and lowering an “Intifada” banner. Police forcibly reclaimed the buildings later in the day.
Before House Democrats met behind closed doors on Tuesday, many spoke about the “growing chaos” among the “elite” institutions.
“It’s complicated enough for us with the range of opinions and height of emotions we have, without weighing in on what [colleges] should be doing,” Rep. Annie Kuster (D-NH) told Axios.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) feared that protests might interrupt the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which she said was a “looming” threat to Democrats if Hamas does not accept terms. “That would be very helpful,” she said.
Northwestern U Soaks Anti-Israel Encampment with Sprinklers
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump continues to underscore the chaos under President Joe Biden, who ran in 2020 on a “return to normalcy” strategy.
“He [Biden] doesn’t know how to speak. He can’t put two sentences together. He’s got to get out and make a statement because the colleges are being overrun in this country, the antisemitism, all the problems going on,” Trump told reporters. “The [colleges] are being overrun … what you’re looking at now with this whole country is up in arms, breaking into colleges knocking the hell out of Columbia University.”
“They took over. I know the building,” Trump said. “That is that is a big deal. And I wonder what’s going to happen to them or anything comparable to what happened to J6, because they’re doing a lot of damage. A lot of people getting hurt very bad.”
Wendell Husebo is a political reporter with Breitbart News and a former GOP War Room Analyst. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality. Follow Wendell on “X” @WendellHusebø or on Truth Social @WendellHusebo.
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