Capitol Hill Blue Forums Political Issues Election Issues Democrats

Biden won the nomination because he was a safe bet to beat Trump. That was the number one priority if not the only priority last November for Democrats. Not new legislation or major changes, Biden never offered those. Fact is Biden stayed hidden in his basement for most of the campaign letting Trump hog the spotlight, letting Trump be Trump, letting Trump remind the voters why they disliked him so much, especially independents. 2020 was all about getting rid of Trump. Not an endorsement of the Democratic Party or their policies or ideology. As I stated before, Biden won the anti-vote, those who voted against a candidate, not for any candidate, just against 68-30 over Trump. 2020 was a vote for a candidate that acted and behaved like an adult, that was all that was needed. 7 million people voted against Trump, for Biden then voted Republican down ballot if CNN exit polls are correct.

Manchin and Sinema’s politics are probably more in tune with more Americans than the progressive wing of the Democratic party. Most of independents who voted for Biden, besides wanting Trump gone, just wanted a return to normalcy and to a saner time. Not new massive legislation. They felt comfortable with Biden, at least for his first six months. Independents were giving Biden somewhere between 53-55% approval rating, basically for not being Trump and not doing a darn thing. Then the legislation push among many other things and independents approval of Biden and company dropped down to 47% in August, down to 43% September, 37% October and now at 34% today.

I think, at least among independents, the Biden they voted for was the moderate Democrat that Joe was as senator and as VP. Not the new progressive Biden. All they wanted was a president who acted and behaved presidential.

Regardless, I think the Democrats problem is they misread the total election of 2020. Sure, they won the presidency, but that was more because of the anti-Trump sentiment than any pro-Democratic Party sentiment. Remember the lost of 13 house seats, 2 state legislatures and a governor ship all the while winning the presidency. Perhaps they ought to look at the ticket splitters who voted Biden then Republican down ballot. That’s not an endorsement for massive change. It’s an endorsement for the status quo minus Trump.

I think the Democrats ought to move slowly forward and not take people out of their comfort zone. Bill Clinton and the democrats did this in 1994 and lost 54 house seats. Obama and the democrats took folks out of their comfort zone in 2010 and lost 63 seats. Biden was viewed as a safe candidate that wouldn’t take people out of their comfort zone, although it seems the progressive wing is trying to make Biden do so. I think if they keep it up, another red wave may indeed happen. Look at Virginia and the very close call in New Jersey where Democrats have than a million voters than the Republicans.