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Midterm elections loom large as Biden’s approval drops in new polling


With a year until the midterm election, Democrats face an uphill battle to keep control of Congress. President Biden’s approval rating continues to plummet. Polling from FiveThirtyEight.com has Biden’s approval rating at 43 percent, down from 44 percent in mid-October, and 45 percent in mid-September.

Historically, the party with the White House generally loses seats in the midterm election. During President Obama’s first term, Democrats lost 63 seats in the 2010 election. Following the 2018 midterm election, Republicans lost 40 seats.

“I didn’t run because of the polls,” Biden said to Cincinnati’s WKRC. “I think what you’re going to see is the combination of what I did in the beginning in terms of the recovery act, and then this legislation, as well as the legislation we’re about the pass, god willing, on what’s called Build Back Better.”

However, it isn’t all bad news for Biden. In October, the unemployment rate fell to 4.6 percent, a new pandemic low. Not only that, the number of new jobs created last month beat the expected number by more than 80,000 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Wages are also up, almost 5 percent from this time last year, and 0.4 percent from September. 

However, Democrats still have a lot of ground to cover before the midterm if they want to maintain control of Congress. Republicans need a net gain of just one seat in the Senate to win back the majority. In the House, Democrats hold their most fragile majority in eight decades. Republicans need a net gain of just five seats in the 435-Member chamber to win back control of the House of Representatives.

Through October, 29 Members have said they won’t be trying to keep their seat. Some will retire, and others will run for a different political office.

In the Senate, five Republicans won’t be running again. The Cook Political Report lists two of those seats, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, as tossups. 

In the House, 14 Democrats and 10 Republicans aren’t running for re-election, including moderates Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) and Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH). House Budget Chair John Yarmuth (D-KY) is retiring. None of the House seats are considered to be at risk, or even really in play, according to the Cook Political Report.

Turnout could impact those races. After a big win in Virginia and a close race in New Jersey, Republicans are excited about their future. Rather than focus on divisive issues, the GOP has made education a priority, taking into account both critical race theory and parents’ rights. 

“With a message like education, you can boil it down to one word, but different voters in different parts of the electorate heard different things when Glenn Youngkin talk about that and it worked for him,” explained Steve Shepard, the senior campaigns and elections editor and chief polling analyst at Politico.

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Annie Andersen: WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES…

ONE YEAR AGO  – – 

DEMOCRATS WERE CELEBRATING PRESIDENT BIDEN’S  VICTORY OVER DONALD TRUMP

NOW 12 MONTHS LATER –

AND exactly 12 BEFORE THE MIDTERMS — 

HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED

DIFFERENT POLLS…

DIFFERENT NETWORKS

SAME RESULTS – 

AMERICANS , EVEN LIBERALS ARE FALLING OUT OF LOVE WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN.

Air Supply <<”I’m all out of love.”>>

Annie Andersen: According to a new poll from USA Today and Suffolk University has his approval rating SITS at 38 percent… and his disapproval rating at 59 percent. 

Joe Biden: <<”“I didn’t run because of the polls. I think what you’re going to see is the combination of what I did in the beginning in terms of the recovery act, and then this legislation, as well as the legislation we’re about the pass, god willing, on what’s called Build Back Better”>>

Annie Andersen: But it isn’t all bad news for Biden.

In October the unemployment rate fell to 4.6 percent.. That’s a new pandemic low.

Not only that.. The number of new jobs created last month beat the expected number by more than 80 thousand. 

Wages are also up.. Almost 5 percent from this time last year… and 0.4 percent from September. 

BUT DEMOCRATS STILL HAVE A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER BEFORE THE MIDTERMS IF THEY WANT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL IN CONGRESS. 

So far 29 members have said they won’t be even trying to return 

In the senate, 5 republicans won’t be running again. 

Cook political has two of those seats… pennsylvania and North Carolina listed as tossups. 

And in the house, 14 Democrats and 10 republicans… including moderates Adam Kinzinger and Anthony Gonzalez won’t be returning. 

For the Dems… budget chair John Yarmuth is saying goodbye.

None of these seats are considered to be at risk, or even really in play according to Cook Political.

But turnout could impact those races.. 

After a big win in Virginia and a close race in New Jersey…

Republicans are excited about their future. 

Rather than focus on divisive issues… the GOP has made education a priority… taking into account both critical race theory and parent’s rights. 

Steve Shepard: <<” with a message like education, you can boil it down to one word, but different voters in different parts of the electorate heard different things when Glenn Youngkin talk about that and it worked for him.”>>

Annie Andersen: IF HISTORY IS ANY INDICATOR – DEMOCRATS WILL HAVE AN UPHILL BATTLE HEADING INTO 2022.    IN PAST MIDTERM ELECTIONS – the party with the White House bleeds seats.   

Democrats lost 63 seats in 2010… during President Obama’s first TERM.   

AND In 2018 DURING President Trump’s first midterm, Republicans lost 40 seats.    Republicans need a net gain of just one seat in the SENATE to win back the majority.   AND Democrats currently hold their most fragile House majority in eight decades. The GOP needs a net gain of five seats in the 435-member chamber to win back control. 

Straight from DC, I’m Annie Andersen