President Joe Biden’s top pollster John Anzalone last year reportedly warned the president on multiple occasions his failed management of key issues was sure to tank his approval rating.
One year later, Biden’s approval rating tanked to 33 percent.
From April to January, Anzalone conveyed a “series of confidential polling data and weekly memos” to Biden about the southern border invasion, impending inflation, and soaring crime rates, according to the New York Times.
“Despite the early warnings from his pollster, Mr. Biden and his top advisers have struggled to prevent either issue from becoming a major political liability,” the Times reported. “His economic team said inflation was temporary. Turmoil among his immigration aides delayed any serious action to address the border.”
Anzalone polling reportedly revealed nine out of ten voters were worried Biden’s costly spending on coronavirus and infrastructure could plunge the nation into deep inflation. He also notified the president last spring that “immigration is the only issue where the president’s ratings are worse with our targets than with voters overall.”
A few months later on July 9, Anzalone reportedly cited another concerning issue, soaring crime rates in connection with the invasion at the southern border. “President Biden continues to hold weaker, negative ratings on two hot-button issues that have been recently bubbling up,” Anzalone said. “Violent crime has edged out the coronavirus pandemic as the top crisis.”
Biden has done little to address inflation, soaring crime, and the invasion at the southern border. As a result, Biden’s approval rating tanked to 33 percent nearly one year after Anzalone raised his concerns with the president. Biden’s approval rating among independents and Hispanics at very low levels. Only 26 percent of independents approve of Biden. Fifty-six percent disapprove. Among Hispanics, only 26 percent approve, while 54 percent disapprove.
In December of 2021, inflation reached a 40-year-high. The massive inflation is costing American families an estimated extra $5,200 in 2022, or $433 per month, according to Bloomberg.
In February, soaring crime ravaged the nation. Almost every New York City Police Department (NYPD) precinct saw an increase in crime in 2022. The rate has doubled in five precincts, an increase of more than 100 percent, according to the New York Post.
In March, over 221,300 illegal migrants were encountered illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. That number represents a new high for the Biden administration and the worst month since the Department of Homeland Security was founded in 2002, according to the Republican National Committee’s research team. March’s number was also the third highest on record.
In April, leading Democrat Party pollster Celinda Lake admitted “high-information” Democrat voters are feeling very negative about the outlook of Biden’s America. Words that Democrat voters used to express themselves after 16 months of Biden’s presidency were “frustrated,” “disbelief,” “aggravated,” “discouraged,” “unsure,” “worrying,” “resigned,” “frightened,” Lake told Politico.
As Biden struggles to rectify the crises, the November midterm elections are likely to be a referendum on the president’s leadership. Biden’s approval rating is only above water in ten states. In Delaware, Biden’s home state where he served as a senator, his approval rating is only 50 percent.
Biden’s low polling is a bad sign for Democrats. If Democrats have any hope of blocking Republicans from retaking both legislative chambers, it would be reflected in Biden’s poll numbers. Positive presidential polling generally means congressional races will receive a presidential boost. It seems unlikely the Democrats will receive an uplift from Biden before November. Biden’s campaign pollster recently revealed the current political environment is the worst he has seen in 30 years.
The GOP could be on the verge of a historic landslide election. In the Senate, polling shows voters heavily favoring Republicans by nine points on a generic ballot (48-39 percent). The generic ballot is important because it indicates congressional Republicans have a national advantage over Democrats regardless of the candidate. Republicans in specific Senate races are leading in Arizona, New Hampshire, Georgia, and Nevada.
In the House, Cook Political Report’s chief David Wasserman estimates Republicans will have a huge advantage. Cook believes only 15 Republican districts either lean Republican or are likely Republican holds. In contrast, 27 Democrat-held districts either lean that way or are likely Democrat districts.
Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter and Gettr @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.
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