For an alternate viewpoint, see “Point: Biden Needs Press Conferences to Prove His Mettle.”
It’s hard to ignore the constant polling informing us that Joe Biden will lose his re-election bid. I know many Democrats have bought into the narrative that President Biden is too old and that Donald Trump is likely going to win the White House.
But this is nonsense; Democrats are poised to win in 2024. Just look at what has happened in this country over the last seven years.
Since Trump became president, Republicans have underperformed in nearly every pivotal election. For example, just a few months ago, in a hotly contested Virginia contest, Democrats took back the state House. The Democratic governor of Kentucky — a supposed Red state — was easily re-elected. In the 2022 midterms, Democrats picked up seats in the Senate and barely lost the House. Historically, that midterm election should have been a bloodbath for Democrats and Biden.
Why are Democrats making gains and Republicans losing elections they should win? There are three answers. First, the overturning of Roe v. Wade has energized many Democratic voters. Second, Trump has branded Republicans as the party of chaos. Third, a lot of Americans are deeply concerned about the lack of respect some Republicans have for our democracy,
Also, the notion that all Republican voters will vote for Trump is dubious. The GOP is deeply divided between the diehard Trump supporters and everyone else. Consider the ridiculous number of votes it took to choose two Republican speakers of the House. The Trump acolytes, including recently elected House Speaker Mike Johnson, run the party. Former congressman Kevin McCarthy was unceremoniously dumped because the MAGA crew never trusted him.
On the flip side, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries got the entire Democratic Caucus to vote for him in every speaker vote. Even the most progressive members, like Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez of New York, supported Jeffries to keep the party unified. Are we supposed to believe that Democratic unity is going to collapse in 2024 under the threat of a second Trump term? Not likely.
I’m not saying everything is coming up roses for Democrats. The Israel-Gaza war has split the progressives and the White House. And that will cost Biden some votes in November.
A lot of other issues have shown Democrats to be out of touch on cultural issues. For example, the White House’s unhealthy obsession with forcing everyone to buy electric vehicles. My organization did extensive polling on this issue, and our findings were clear that people think EVs are only for the wealthy and that banning gas-powered vehicles is a terrible idea.
As we head into election season, Biden and Democrats can point to many successes, including a strong economy, restoring American manufacturing, and standing up to Russian aggression in Ukraine. Biden has had a solid first term.
We also must remember that Biden and Trump have squared off before. We all know who won that election, even if the loser refuses to acknowledge it. But this time around, if Trump flops, he won’t be able to use the considerable powers of the presidency to try illegally to remain president. Oh yeah, as we consider the coming election, I haven’t even mentioned that by November, Trump may be a convicted felon.
With all of this in mind, I urge Democrats to stay positive. Don’t keep buying the narrative telling us we will lose the election right up until we win.
