Category Archives: Democrat

After months of accusing Republicans of using phony, trumped-up culture wars to divide the electorate, the Democrats have chosen abortion, the mother of all culture war issues, as the hill on which they will fight and die in 2022.

When Politico published a draft of the Supreme Courts ruling in the Dobbs vs. Jackson Womens Health Organization case, the lefts reaction to its striking down of Roe v. Wade predictably combined wailing and gnashing of teeth with crass political posturing. With uncharacteristic speed and clarity, our devoutly Catholic president used the draft to encourage voters to support pro-abortion candidates in the November elections and call upon Congress to codify Roe into law.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer then dutifully lifted up the banner of child murder, bringing a bill to the floor last Wednesday that would have legalized abortion up until the point of birth. Although this gambit was doomed to fail because the filibuster remains intact, all but one of the Democrats who identify as Catholic voted for it.

So, barring any justices bending to public pressure and changing their minds (which was likely the idea behind leaking the draft in the first place), the power to pass laws regarding abortion is going to be returned to state legislatures. This means Catholic bishops will finally have to choose between adhering to what the church teaches regarding those who support abortion and maintaining their Faustian bargain with the Democratic Party.

From its very inception, the church has taught that abortion is a grave moral evil. This teaching has been consistently upheld by canonists and theologians for more than 2,000 years. In 1974, on the heels of Roe v. Wade and similar efforts, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued its Declaration on Procured Abortion, which clearly stated not only that abortion is a mortal sin, but also that supporting its legalization (no matter ones personal opposition) is as well:

It must in any case be clearly understood that whatever may be laid down by civil law in this matter, man can never obey a law which is in itself immoral, and such is the case of a law which would admit in principle the liceity of abortion. Nor can he take part in a propaganda campaign in favor of such a law, or vote for it. (Emphasis mine.)

Although a Catholic legislators vote in favor of legalizing abortion still falls short of the formal cooperation that carries with it automatic ex-communication, the church still considers such a vote a stain on the legislators soul. As such, unless he confesses his sin and does penance for it, he may not receive communion without committing the second mortal sin of sacrilege, a point that many American bishops and priests seem to have forgotten.

On the issue of abortion, the Democratic Party demands that its Catholic members leave the moral teachings of their faith at the statehouse doors. Under the diabolical euphemisms of reproductive rights and womens health, abortion holds a central place in the health care plank of its platform:

Democrats are committed to protecting and advancing reproductive health, rights, and justice. We believe unequivocally, like the majority of Americans, that every woman should be able to access high-quality reproductive health care services, including safe and legal abortion. We will repeal the Title X domestic gag rule and restore federal funding for Planned Parenthood Democrats oppose and will fight to overturn federal and state laws that create barriers to reproductive health and rights. We will repeal the Hyde Amendment, and protect and codify the right to reproductive freedom.

For years, it has been clear that Democrats must toe the line on supporting child murder or be purged from the ranks. No other issue comes close to this shibboleth of the left; to the party of today, a Democrat must favor unrestricted abortion or he is no Democrat.

For almost 50 years, the bishops have actively avoided holding these lawmakers accountable for promoting the Culture of Death in return for the partys lip service to Catholic social teaching.

True, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) showed some evidence of a spine last year when it announced the crafting of a teaching letter on the Eucharist, a move that caused much uproar among pro-abortion Catholics. Yet when the letter was issued in November, it contained no mention of disciplining abortion-supporting politicians.

Instead, Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, the head of the USCCBs Committee on Pro-Life Activities, offered some tepid comments about the bishops responsibility to have dialogue and conversation with those who are Catholic but who act in a way contrary to our faith in this basic moral teaching.

With all due respect to Naumann, the time for dialogue and conversation with these legislators is long past; their zeal for legalizing abortion shows that. There have already been legislative efforts in multiple states in anticipation of the Dobbs decision.

Should the decision be handed down in its present form, these efforts will intensify, placing clergy and laity squarely in the crosshairs of pro-abortion ideologues who are openly anti-Catholic and have few qualms about resorting to intimidation or even violence to achieve their goals. Will the mounting number of attacks on parishes finally convince the bishops to act in accordance with Catholic teaching?

In Old Testament times, Elijah called the people of Israel to come to Mount Carmel and witness the battle he waged against the four hundred priests of the pagan god Baal. There, the prophet came near to all the people, and said, How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him. (I Kings 18:21).

Catholic bishops throughout the country must now finally make a similar choice between God and Moloch. Obviously, their sheep in the Democratic Party have already made this choice and received their reward. As these leaders of the church struggle with their consciences, they would do well to remember the words of another prophet: Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord (Jeremiah 23:1).

Robert Busek is a Catholic homeschooling father of six who has taught history and Western Civilization in both traditional and online classrooms for over twenty years. His essays have also been published in The American Conservative and The American Spectator. The views he expresses here are his own.

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If Roe Is Overturned, Bishops Can No Longer Let Democrats Off The Hook - The Federalist

Voters cast ballots in Nashua, N.H., in February 2016, part of that states claim to the first-in-the-nation primary. But Democrats in Maryland and across the country are seeking to shake up the partys primary calendar. Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images.

If Maryland is truly America in Miniature, should we play a bigger role in picking presidents?

As the Democratic Party looks to reshuffle early presidential primary states for 2024, party leaders want the state to be considered as a host for influential early contests.

The Maryland Democratic Party submitted a letter of intent to the Democratic National Committee to be considered for an early primary in 2024, a national party official confirmed.

We believe that Maryland would be an excellent early state, Eva R. Lewis, the executive director of the Maryland Democratic Party, said in a statement. In terms of diversity, Maryland is the most diverse state on the East Coast. We have urban, suburban, rural and mountain regions. We are a competitive state that has consistently won large margins for our Democratic Presidential Nominee.

Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina previously had waivers from the Democratic Party to hold nominating contests earlier than other states but the Democratic National Committees Rules and Bylaws Committee voted in April to require those states and others to apply for waivers ahead of future elections, the Des Moines Register reported at the time.

Applications for early primaries will be evaluated based on state diversity, competitiveness in general elections and feasibility of holding an early primary.

The move to reshuffle early Democratic primary states comes amid a party-wide push to give people of color more influence in elections and after technical issues in Iowa led to a delay in election results after the states 2020 caucus.

Maryland became more diverse over the past decade, according to U.S. Census data, and the number of state residents who identified as white alone dropped below half of the states population. And the National Conference of State Legislatures found in 2020 that the Maryland General Assembly outpaces most other state legislatures in terms of gender and racial representation.

Larry Stafford, the executive director of Progressive Maryland, said Marylands Democratic voters are perhaps more broadly representative of the Democratic Partys electorate across the country.

Maryland is a state with a high proportion of people of color, Stafford said. Black voters make up a significant portion of the electorate. I think it could be a step in a positive direction.

He added the move would put a national spotlight on Maryland and highlight the states communities.

I think that Maryland being elevated in that way can totally help to make sure that communities like Baltimore are further elevated on the national stage, and make sure that at the federal level our communities get the investment and support that we deserve.

Mileah Kromer, director of the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center at Goucher College, likewise said Maryland is one of the most diverse states in the country and early primaries in the state would be reflective of the Democratic electorate across the country.

Kromer said Marylands proximity to Washington, D.C., and easy access to large national airports like Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport also makes logistical sense for hosting an early primary. Maryland is also among the 10 smallest states in the nation in terms of geographic size, and presidential candidates who are members of Congress, for instance, wouldnt have to go far from D.C. to campaign anywhere in the state.

And Susan Turnbull, a former state party chair who was Democratic gubernatorial candidate Benjamin Jealous running mate in 2018, said Maryland has earned its America in miniature moniker. She noted that state Democrats come from all walks of life, from Baltimore and largely suburban counties like Prince Georges and Montgomery to mountainous Western Maryland and agricultural centers like the Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland.

Turnbull, who has also served as a member of the Democratic National Committee, added that she thinks Iowas caucuses will still have value, even if the state doesnt vote first in future primaries. She spent more than a week in Iowa in 2020 when she was campaigning for Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, and said the caucuses are a hands-on experience that allow voters to interact with each other.

Over the past half century, Maryland has traditionally held its presidential primary in the spring, often after the nominating contests have been decided. One notable exception was in 2008, when Maryland, D.C. and Virginia held a DMV primary on Feb. 12, and it played a critical role in adding to Barack Obamas momentum for the Democratic nomination.

For 2024, state Democratic parties in the current early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina sought to retain their early status. Party officials in Puerto Rico also requested an early primary.

Other state Democratic parties that have asked to be considered for early primaries include Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Georgia, Texas, Colorado and Washington. Democrats Abroad, the arm of the party for United States citizens living temporarily or permanently abroad, also requested an early primary.

Maryland has voted for the eventual Democratic presidential nominee in every primary since 1996. A cycle earlier, the state opted for former Massachusetts Sen. Paul E. Tsongas over eventual nominee Bill Clinton.

The DNCs Rules and Bylaws Committee is expected to make a recommendation for the primary calendar in early August, and then the full DNC will vote on that recommendation at a meeting early September.

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State Democratic Party Asks That Maryland Be Considered for Early Primary in 2024 - Josh Kurtz

With Gen Xers in their 40s and 50s turning more conservative, and Hispanic Americans more aptly described today as a swing vote than a reliable Democratic-voting bloc, maintaining historic levels of participation and securing a 60 percent youth vote threshold is no longer a nice to have but an indispensable component of Democratic competitiveness in this moment.

Younger Americans are a notoriously tricky population for anyone to reach; the challenge for government and politicians is even more significant as a growing number choose to turn away from the daily news for their mental wellness. Instead, they prefer to check in at specific points throughout the year. The State of the Union was one such moment when youth viewership increased; commencement season is another such opportunity.

Building on the substantial youth participation from the last midterm election is no easy feat. When baby boomers, Gen Xers, and older millennials were under 30, they often voted at roughly half the level that Gen Zers did in 2018. By understanding the drivers of Gen Zs and young millennials hopelessness, and the circumstances that have shaped their worldview, Democrats will empower young voters and continue to reshape the electorate.

The best chance for Democrats success in the Senate starts with three states where younger Americans already have higher-than-average voter registration rates:

Pennsylvania, where John Fetterman, the lieutenant governor who was once dubbed Americas coolest mayor in an earlier role, is the favorite to win the partys nomination for Senate in Tuesdays primary;

North Carolina, where Cheri Beasley, who was the first Black woman to serve as the states Supreme Court chief justice, is the front-runner in her Senate primary, also being held Tuesday;

and Wisconsin, where Senator Ron Johnson, a Republican and an increasingly unpopular misinformation peddler, is seeking his third term.

In Arizona and Georgia, young African Americans and other voters of color played critical roles in 2020 and 2021 and can do so again but the challenge for Democrats is steeper. The Phoenix and Atlanta regions are suffering the highest rates of inflation in the country, putting even more pressure on the incumbent Democratic senators up for re-election, Mark Kelly of Arizona and Raphael Warnock of Georgia, to prioritize young voters and speak to their values.

Capturing three tossup House seats in California, including one once held by Devin Nunes, as well as winning or holding youth-friendly seats in Washington State, Iowa, Maine and Colorado, are among the best shots for Democrats to mobilize young voters in hopes of hanging on to the House in November.

Gen Z and young millennials hold the fate of Congress in their hands. Their message to all of us is clear: The systems we have built cannot meet the challenges of our times and guarantee even basic rights to many of its people. Young voters are stressed. They are angry. In 2018 and 2020, they elected Democrats but in 2022 they need to see more before they commit with similar zeal again.

The pathway is narrow, but the race is far from over.

John Della Volpe (@dellavolpe) is the director of polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics and has overseen its Youth Poll since 2000, and the author of Fight: How Gen Z is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America. He was a pollster for Joe Bidens presidential campaign in 2020.

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Opinion | Young Americans Are Stressed. They Are Angry. And They Can Swing Congress. - The New York Times

They call him slick Joe Lombardo, are the first words of a new statewide television ad campaign attacking the Republican gubernatorial frontrunner for being more worried about his public image than his public safety.

But the 30-second spot isnt paid for by one of Lombardos 14 opponents in the states competitive Republican primary for governor. Its funded by a new political action committee called A Stronger Nevada, a group linked to the Democratic Governors Association and registered with the state less than two months ago filed in a window that helps them avoid disclosing their donors before the primary.

The PAC has no website or social media presence, but has nonetheless reserved $2.1 million in likely anti-Lombardo television advertising for the last few weeks leading up to the June 14 primary. Its a significant enough buy that a spokeswoman for Lombardos campaign responded on Thursday, saying the DGA cannot buy Steve Sisolak an easier opponent, and their despicable attempts to do so and interfere in the Republican primary will fail.

Its part of a national trend by Democratic groups to meddle in Republican primaries ahead of the 2022 midterm elections, aiming to knock presumed frontrunners down a peg ahead of whats likely to be a difficult election year for Democrats. In Nevada, Democrats believe Lombardo has all but locked up the primary nomination and are eager to get a head start on attacks.

The general election starts now and voters deserve to know the truth about Joe Lombardo, DGA Senior Communications Advisor Christina Amestoy said in an email. The DGA announced in early May that it had already made an initial $10 million television reservation in Nevada for the fall ahead of the general election the third most of any state behind Michigan and Wisconsin.

According to campaign finance records, A Stronger Nevada was registered with the state on April 5, and listed two operatives linked to the Democratic Party Andrew Whalen and Jillian Edelman as the PACs officers.

The registration date came just five days after the end of Nevadas first quarter fundraising deadline, meaning that specific details about whos funding the PAC (and how much theyre spending) wont be available until July 15 almost a month after the June primary election.

A Stronger Nevada isnt the only group attempting to meddle in the final weeks of the Republican primary. Another PAC from an individual with ties to a pro-gun control lawmaker appears to be trying reverse psychology to convince Republican primary voters that Lombardo is weak on the Second Amendment.

The Nevada Independent obtained images of a bright orange political mail piece highlighting Lombardos record on guns, saying the sheriff stood with gun control groups and supported universal background checks on gun sales, while also attacking his stance on ammo magazine limits and opposition to constitutional carry a policy adopted in other states that allow residents to carry concealed handguns without a permit.

Titled the 2022 Nevada Voter Guide on Gun Rights, the mailer is paid for a group called Patriot Freedom Fund. That PAC was registered with the secretary of states office on May 6, which again means it wont have to reveal contributions or spending until nearly a month after the primary.

The PACs only listed officer is Truman Fleming, a Las Vegas-based real estate agent linked to Democratic Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui a survivor of the 1 October mass shooting who has become one of the Legislatures most prominent gun control advocates. Jauregui said in a text message after this story was published that she was unaware of the PAC and its political activities.

Several other PACs have also taken advantage of the loophole in Nevada law and registered after the first filing deadline.

Those include:

Meddling in another partys primary is not a new trend. Former U.S. Sen. Harry Reids campaign successfully brought down more moderate Republican Sue Lowden to clear the way for the more radical Sharron Angle in the 2010 primary, and the 2018 U.S. Senate race saw a Democratic Super PAC launch last-minute digital ads attacking then-Sen. Dean Heller for insufficient conservative bonafides.

Editors Note: This story appears in Indy 2022, The Nevada Independents newsletter dedicated to comprehensive coverage of the 2022 election. Sign up for the newsletter here.

Updated on 5/17/2022 to correct the opponent to Assembly candidate Angie Taylor.

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Democratic groups spend millions to meddle in GOP governor primary The Nevada Independent - The Nevada Independent

Manchin, on the other hand, is a literal coal baron and the fossil fuel industrys inside man. If hes supposed to be a centrist, what exactly is he in the middle of? Nazis on the one side and people who (checks notes) want a livable future on the other? Theres no way to label Joe Manchin a centrist without validating folks who believe in actual lizard people as a legitimate side of the political spectrum. In his enthusiastic and unquestioning support for a clearly violent industry, Joe Manchin is nobodys centrist. He is a fossil fuel hawk, and we should call him that.

But, the story goes, we have to support Joe Manchin because he is the best Democrat we can possibly get out of West Virginia. As a Southerner, I find that notion offensive. It seems clear to me that the reason we cant get a more progressive Democrat in West Virginia is because the Democratic Party has disinvested from the South since the 1970s. Its quite apparent when you look down the ballots and notice that so many Republican candidates run in the South unopposed. When Democrats do compete in the races, their strategy is simply to meet voters where they are, but once elected, they never take them anywhere else. No wonder so many citizens in these districts fall victim to misinformation that tells them climate change is a hoax and the election was stolen.

The Democratic Party has given ground for decades then turned around to proclaim that our salvation lies in moderation. How much longer can we do the same thing and expect different results? In the face of the climate crisis, moderation is madness. There is no more time for pussyfooting and half measures. The science is clear, and the fire is getting hotter. If the Democrats believe the science, its time to act like it. We know what we need to do, and theres nothing moderate or centrist about it.

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Democrats Timidity Will Kill Us All - The New Republic

DeWine says his focus is on children, including the unborn

Gov. Mike DeWine at his victory party pledged to continue his focus on children, including those yet to be born.

"This is an administration that focuses on the most vulnerable members of our society and that certainly includes the unborn. So it's something that we care very, very deeply about," DeWine said with his wife Fran and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted at his side.

DeWine also doubled down on law-and-order politics, saying he favors funding the police and stopping the spread of illegal drugs coming across the U.S.-Mexico border.

The Republican also took a victory lap on Ohio landing the Intel chip manufacturing project in Licking County. "Why did they come to Ohio? Because they know there is no better place to raise a family," he said.

Without naming Democratic nominee Nan Whaley, DeWine said he will draw contrasts between him and his opponent.

Former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley won the Democratic primary for Ohio governor in a commanding fashion, becoming the first woman to win a major partys nomination for the job.

Whaleydefeated former Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley, a friend and colleague, in a race that was largely cordial but involved a late-campaignspat pitting her leadership in Dayton against his in Cincinnati.

Whaley now sets her sights on Gov. Mike DeWine, who easily won the GOP nomination.Whaley and running mate Cheryl Stephens, a Cuyahoga County Council member,campaigned on the idea thatOhio deserves better than the policies that Republicans have imposed over the years.

Expect Whaley to focus on corruption at the Ohio Statehouse tied to a $1 billion nuclear bailout and abortion access asthe landmark Roe v. Wade decision is likely hanging by a thread.

Whaley won the primary without an endorsement from the Ohio Democratic Party, which remained neutral in the race.

Gov. Mike DeWine easily won the Republican partys nomination over a crowded field despite frustrations about how the longtime politician handled the COVID-19 pandemic.

DeWine, 75, of Cedarville, defeated former U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, Canal Winchester farmer Joe Blystone and former state Rep. Ron Hood to win the GOP nomination. He had won 56.6% of the vote when the Associated Press called the race at 8:16 p.m. Tuesday.

DeWine is among the state's best-known politicians, having served asa U.S. senator and representative, lieutenant governor, state senatorand most recently attorney general. He was on Ohioans' television and computer screens daily amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

It would be difficult to find an Ohioan who doesn't know DeWine.

But his Republican competitors were banking on GOP voters not liking what they knew: The governor closed businesses, schools and polling locations to slow the spread of COVID-19. His record on guns was mixed over the decades. He doesn't spend much time talkingabout former President Donald Trump.

A single, focused candidate might have skewered DeWine for these positions, but the field was too large and disorganized to mount a credible campaign as the anti-DeWine candidate.

Renacci, who came in second with 25.7% of the vote, spent time attackingBlystone rather than focusing on DeWine. Renacci, who lost a U.S. Senate bid to Democrat Sherrod Brown in 2018, repeated the same errors in his previous race: donating large sums to his own campaign but not spending enough of it on advertisements.

Blystone captured some grassroots support, appealing to voters as an outsider candidate. But his campaign wasmessy withhigh turnover among volunteer staffand incomplete campaign finance reports.

Former state Rep. Ron Hood and running mate Candice Keller were last-minute entries into the race and barely registered with most voters.

DeWine enters the fall race as the heavy favorite in a state that elected former President Donald Trump by 8 percentage points, twice. He has name recognition and a campaign war chest that Democrats can't hope to match. Add to thatPresident Joe Biden's poor approval ratings and Novembercould be a tough road for Democrats.

But Democratic candidate Nan Whaley, who was leading Tuesday night, hopes to attack DeWineon corruption at the Ohio Statehouse and access to abortion, which is in a precarious spot with the U.S. Supreme Cour

Earlier story:

In today's election, Gov. Mike DeWine expects to fend off challenges from three Republicans, and two Southwest Ohio mayorsface off in the Democratic primary.

In his reelection bid, DeWine is up againstformer U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, farmer Joe Blystone and ex-state Rep. Ron Hood for the GOP nomination. Each challenger has tried to capitalize on voters' frustrations with DeWine closingbusinesses, schools and polling locations to slow the spread of COVID-19.

That anti-DeWine sentiment exists, but it's also divided among the candidates. Any effort to consolidate or reduce the number of candidates ultimately failed. Former President Donald Trump did not endorse a candidate in the governor race despite picking J.D. Vance to replace Sen. Rob Portman in Ohio's contentious U.S. Senate race.

COVID and politics: In battling COVID-19, DeWine infuriated some in the GOP. How will that affect reelection?

Ohio governor race: Jim Renacci flier touts past Trump endorsement in bid to unseat DeWine

Grassroots leader or shady spoiler?: Why Joe Blystone is running for Ohio governor

Former state representative: Ron Hood files to run for Ohio governor against incumbent Mike DeWine

On the Democratic side, former Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley faces former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley for the nomination. The night before, Politico published a leaked draft of a U.S. Supreme Court opinion striking down the landmark abortion decision Roe v. Wade. The news pushed the abortion debate back into the forefront of voters' minds, a fact that likely benefits Whaley because of her consistent position supporting access to abortion.

Cranley and Whaley come to the race with similar resumes, havingled Southwest Ohio cities during the past eight years. But each has different plans if elected governor.

Whaley benefits from a slew of endorsements, most notably U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown. Cranley racked up support from newspaper editorial boards. The Ohio Democratic Party did not endorse in the primary despite picking U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan for the U.S. Senate race.

The race could come down to which candidate is better known by voters in Democrat-rich Cleveland and Columbus.

If Whaley clinches the Democratic primary, she would be the first woman to win a major political party's nomination in Ohio's history.

Democratic race for nomination: As Democratsfight to replace Mike DeWine, Cincinnati and Dayton are on the ballot

Ohio Politics Explained podcast: What's on your primary ballot?

Watch: Ohio's district maps and the May 3 primary

Ohio has never elected a womanas governor. Gov. Nancy Hollister served as the state's leader for 11 days after Gov. George Voinovich started work in theU.S. Senate and before Gov. Bob Taft took office.

Polls opened at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. If you are in line when polls close, you will be able to vote.

Jessie Balmert is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Akron Beacon Journal, Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus Dispatch and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

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Nan Whaley becomes first woman nominated by major party for Ohio governor, will face DeWine - The Columbus Dispatch

The Democratic Party has a huge problem. For decades now, they have been hemorrhaging white rural and working class voters to the Republicans, a trend they have managed to offset with super majorities of voters of color. This was the basis of the "Emerging Majority" theory popular in Democratic circles just a few years ago, which posited that as America became less and less white, it would become more and more firmly attached to the Democratic Party.

The problem with this theory is that it relied the premise that minorities were going to remain solid Democrats. And that premise is turning out to be false. What we're seeing today is that working class Hispanic voters and conservative Black voters are a lot more like their white counterparts than anyone in the Democratic Party had bargained for. And that spells serious trouble for the Left.

Much has been made of the Republican shift among Hispanic voters. And to be sure, it has been significant; between the 2018 to 2020 elections, Hispanic voters without a college degree swung to the GOP by a whopping 30 points.

This was even more pronounced in Texas border counties, where local communities are experiencing the crisis at the border first hand. The county with the highest percentage of Hispanic voters once backed Hillary Clinton by 60 points; but they only backed then-candidate Joe Biden by five.

It is clear to many that the Hispanic vote is far more competitive than Democrats would like them to be. But fewer are willing to accept a possibly more significant trend: the attrition of Black voters that the Democrats are dealing with.

According to Pew Research Center, fully 25 percent of Black Democrats identify as "conservative" (around 40 percent identify as "moderate"). And with these voters, like their Hispanic counterparts, there was also a massive shift between 2016 and 2020.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton won Black conservative voters by 58 points. But in 2020, now-President Joe Biden won them by just 20 points, a 38 point drop. And the trend is holding; since taking office, Biden went from an 87 percent approval rating among Black voters overall to 67 percent, a 20 point drop.

"There's just no recent historical analogy for what happened with conservative Black voters in 2020," writes Harry Enten at CNN. "It really broke the mold."

If the current polls hold up, Democrats have the lowest margins of the Black vote in 2022 since at least 1990.

So what's happening here?

Because the Black vote has been solidly Democratic since 1964, political prognosticators tend to ignore and even deny the diversity of thought in the Black community. It's how they missed the fact that for a majority of Black voters, being a Democrat does not mean being a liberal, and it certainly doesn't mean being "woke." It has always been more complicated than that, part of a communal identity that rejected the historic racism of Republicans and viewed progress as building out the achievements of the civil rights movement.

And as the Democratic Party started to cater more and more to white coastal elites, it revealed a deep tension between the needs of a mostly moderate Black community anxious for a fair shot at achieving the American Dream and a party catering to a college-educated professional class that doesn't think much of America.

This tension has always been there. If you look beyond the surface, the modern Democratic coalition has always been a house of cards. How do you create an agenda that appeals to both a conservative, Black, churchgoing southerner and a liberal, white, secular atheist? How do you serve the needs of both Hispanic working class voters and rich elitists?

When elections were more localized, it was easier to campaign as a "different kind of Democrat." But in this age of nationalized campaigns, the real dividing lines are becoming harder to ignore. And the opposition party is noticing.

Republicans in previous years had a minority outreach "strategy" that consisted of blaming voters for rejecting them. For years, the GOP's arrogant approach to Black voters (who once were loyal Republicans) has been that of the jilted lover determined to prove that they can be successful without the one who left them.

Ironically, it has been the party's populists that have changed the trajectory. As today's Republicans focus more on class and culture, it is beginning to attract voters of all races who share their views on those issues.

This new Republican approach met a Democratic Party dominated by far left elites, giving it an even harder time convincing Black conservatives that there's a place for them on the Left. And as Republicans begin to finally learn how to tone down the "stuck on the Democrat plantation" rhetoric and get serious about winning over black voters by offering them what they're looking for, those Black voters who are already more ideologically aligned with the GOP are becoming more comfortable voting for that party's candidates.

The future for American politics could be similar to what we often see with political parties in Europe, where polarization is typically based more on class and ideology than of race. And if the Democratic Party is determined to fully turn into the party of the white liberal, they will displace millions of Black and Hispanic voters.

These voters already have more in common economically and ideologically with their counterparts on the Right than they do with white progressives. If the Democrats are hellbent on alienating the very voters that they need the most, the elections in November will be the least of their problems.

Darvio Morrow is the CEO of the FCB Radio Network and co-host of The Outlaws Radio Show. Follow him on Twitter @DTheKingpin.

The views in this article are the writer's own.

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It's Not Just Hispanics. The Democrats Are Losing the Black Vote | Opinion - Newsweek

As we get closer and closer to November's midterm elections, doomsday predictions about a bloodbath for Democrats have come to dominate the news. It seems like you can't turn on your TV or scroll through Twitter for five minutes without being informed by some pundit or otheron both sides of the political spectrumabout the dire situation the Democrats face in races across the country.

These naysayers are missing the robust record that the Democrats have to run onone that includes the not insignificant line item of being the only side standing up for Democracy itself.

Republicans have shown their laissez faire attitude toward democracy in numerous ways, starting with passing bills across the country restricting the right to vote. Then there's their penchant for denying the results of the 2020 election, or opposing the bipartisan commission to investigate the storming of the Capitol on January 6, an effort designed to undermine the electoral process altogether.

Most recently, leaked tapes revealed how Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy really felt about Trump's role in inciting the January 6 attack, going so far as to say that Trump should resign immediately. In another recently released tape, McCarthy accused some GOP lawmakers of putting people in jeopardy.

McCarthy was telling the truth: GOP lawmakers put their colleagues in jeopardy and Trump should've resigned. But instead of admitting this, McCarthy attacked the press, accusing them of spreading lies.

Of course, he had to deny his condemnation of Trump; he has done nothing but defend him since January 6, fighting the creation of an inquiry into that ugly day. Meanwhile, it's been the Democrats (and two exiled Republicans) who have worked overtime to expose Republicans' corruption and sedition.

But while the work of the January 6 Committee is crucial to stabilizing our democracy, it's only the first in a long list of accomplishments that Democrats can tout to their constituents.

President Biden's infrastructure bill is already delivering: The bill has created jobs and is already fixing roads, bridges and railways. It's already bringing clean drinking water to some of the poorest communities and building access to high-speed internet across the country.

Democrats should be speaking nationally about these accomplishments while showing the specific locations that are being improved in their states or congressional districts. This is nothing short of a home run for candidates running on the blue ticket.

Another huge victory for Democrats to tout is the American Rescue Plan, which helped put money directly in the pockets of the American people, helped protect them from COVID-19 and gave money directly to working families. Democrats should remind voters of thisand of the fact that most Republicans voted against the plan.

Democrats also swiftly pushed through Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination, a historic victory that made Judge Jackson the first Black woman on the Supreme Court, another thing most Republicans opposed. Reminding voters of this accomplishment, and that it happened under the most diverse administration in American history, should remind folks that diversity in leadership matters.

Then there's the fact that Biden helped unite the western world against Russia together with the leadership shown by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democrats.

Finally, we must remind Americans what Republicans stand for: a whole lot of nothing. Nothing good, at least. The Republicans are the party of January 6, of banning Critical Race Theory (CRT) in schools where it's not taught, and of anti-gay legislation that addresses "problems" that don't exist.

So as Democrats move into the midterm elections, they must remember one key thing: This is their election to lose. They have the record to run on and theirs is the only party defending democracy.

If the Democratic Party can focus on a clear, cohesive and united message that just tells the American people the truth, they will prove to be unbeatable.

Scott Dworkin is an author, and serves as Executive Director of The Democratic Coalition. He is the host of The Dworkin Report podcast and co-hosts The Report Card podcast. He was a deputy director for the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Committee and the 2012 Democratic National Convention, and a senior adviser to the Draft Biden and Run Warren Run campaigns. Follow him on Twitter: @funder.

The views in this article are the writer's own.

Excerpt from:

There's No Choice in the Midterms. The Democrats Are the Only Side Defending Democracy | Opinion - Newsweek

She wrote a New York Times op-ed last week claiming Democrats are headed toward big losses in the midterms without delivering on their goals, sat for a lengthy Crooked Media podcast interview to push the party to make deals on issues it ran on in 2020, then did a rare three-network sweep on the Sunday shows.

Democrats cant afford to lose a single Senate seat and are at great risk of losing the House in November but Warren is offering a prescription thats in keeping with her policy-wonk identity during the 2020 primary. She wants anti-price gouging legislation and a ban on lawmaker stock trades on the Senate floor ASAP and quick work on a drug pricing and tax reform bill to wash away the bad taste of Build Back Betters failure.

Summing up her role in the fractious Democratic Party at the moment, Warren said: My job right now is to light the fire of urgency. We cant waste a single day.

In tandem with Congress, she also wants President Joe Biden to cancel student loan debt, raise overtime pay and use executive actions to bring down drug prices. With the evenly divided Senate struggling to pass even a $10 billion coronavirus bill, its a tall order; still, Warren is pitching her revitalized agenda as a vital antidote to conservative framing of the election.

Economically struggling Americans creates an urgency that Democrats need to respond to. Thats why were here, Warren said. Were not here to fight cultural wars. Were here to make a real difference in the lives of people who need us.

Theres some debate among Democrats about just how successful theyve been during the last 16 months of complete control of Washington. They passed a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief law, a $550 billion bipartisan infrastructure law, a government funding law, postal reform, confirmed a new Supreme Court justice and are on the verge of clinching a competition and manufacturing bill.

But rising prices, war in Ukraine and sagging public sentiment are dominating the political discourse.

The inflation thing is really difficult because people will assume its Bidens fault or our fault. When in fact the pandemic is causing more of this than anything else. And Ukraine is not helping, said Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), who wants the Senate to focus on lowering meat and prescription drug prices. Weve got to figure out things that we can do that we can tout.

Some Democrats see a real risk of disappointing voters if they dont take more action after running on a sweeping anti-corruption bill, federal elections reform, beefing up social spending programs and reversing the Trump tax cuts. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) said that as a general rule, I definitely think that over-promising and under-delivering is not an effective strategy.

What I would be doing is reversing the Trump tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and extending the Child Tax Credit that expired in January, said Bennet, who is up for reelection this fall. That would help.

There are nascent discussions occurring between Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on tax reform, climate and prescription drug bill to take the place of the sweeping Build Back Better social policy bill that Manchin opposed. That probably wont have the expanded child tax credit in it, but Warren said nonetheless its critical Democrats use their power to pass a party-line spending plan successfully.

I dont care about the titles, labels, I dont care about who gets to carry the leadership mantle or the authorship for doing the pieces. We need to pick the pieces that the American people are counting on us to deliver on, she said.

But some Democrats are reluctant to crank up the negotiations, publicly at least. As Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) put it: We have an opportunity to do more. We dont want the negotiations to be public ... And I dont want to raise expectations. He argues that last year was the best year for a president during his three decades in Congress.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has advocated that Schumer put popular pieces of the defunct Build Back Better on the floor and dare Republicans and Manchin to block them, a strategy the Democratic leader has declined to embrace. And while Warren isnt exactly pitching that, she said there could be some utility to creating contrasts between the two parties.

She wants Democrats to put a bill allowing the Federal Trade Commission to investigate price gouging responsible for costly consumer goods and dare the Republicans to vote against it. A clean, simple bill.

Lets put it to the Republicans. Do they care about price gouging from the perspective of helping the consumers? Or from the perspective of letting the big corporations continue to get away with it? Warren said.

The tension between his multiple ambitious members visions sets up complicated dynamics for Schumer to navigate in the coming weeks. As Biden is asking for more money for military aid for Ukraine, theres bipartisan hand-wringing over Bidens border policies and Democrats are itching to confront rising prices.

There are also plenty of nominees Biden wants confirmed while Democrats still control the Senate, and a decreasing window of floor time. Tester described Schumers dilemma as: What can he put on the floor to get the most bang for the buck and actually make a difference, that is more than just a press release?

Warren sees an aggressive agenda as the best way to get Democrats out of their defensive crouch and scramble the assumption that they are headed for a shellacking this fall. The urgency of the moment demands it, she argues.

The things we need to do are things that touch peoples lives directly, Warren said. We promised to act on this. The Republicans did not.

See more here:

Warren tries to 'light the fire of urgency' for Democrats - POLITICO

A coalition of 17 Democratic governors sent a letter to Congress Tuesday urging U.S. lawmakers to codify Roe v. Wade to protect the right to abortion access following a draft opinion leaked from the Supreme Court that would overturn the landmark ruling.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D), who is leading the coalition, shared the Tuesday letter on Twitter. It urges Congress to take immediate action to protect reproductive rights across the nation by passing the Womens Health Protection Act legislation introduced in September 2021 that would guarantee a womens right to abortion access.

Reproductive healthcare decisions are deeply personal and should be made by patients in consultation with their healthcare providers, not by politicians, the letter reads. The consequences of overturning Roe v. Wade for millions across the nation cannot be overstated. Our collective responsibility to defend access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion, has never been more important.

In addition to Evers, the letter was signed by Govs. Gavin Newsom (Calif.), Ned Lamont (Conn.), Jared Polis (Colo.), J.B. Pritzker (Ill.), Gretchen Whitmer (Mich.), Tim Walz (Minn.) and Steve Sisolak (Nev.), Phil Murphy (N.J.), Michelle Lujan Grisham (N.M.), Kathy Hochul (N.Y.), Roy Cooper (N.C.), Kate Brown (Ore.), Tom Wolf (Pa.), Daniel McKee (R.I.), Jay Inslee (Wash.) and Albert Bryan Jr. (Virgin Islands).

Politico on Monday night leaked a draft opinion by Justice Samuel Alito and backed by a conservative majority that would overturn Roe v. Wade. The court will is expected to rule on the case Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, which involves a challenge to a 15-week abortion ban in Mississippi, in the coming weeks.

Chief Justice John Roberts released a statement on Tuesday confirming the authenticity of the draft opinion, but noted it was just a draft and opinions could change. He also called for an investigation into who leaked it.

Both the leak and its contents drew an explosion of concerns across the country from politicians, advocacy organizations and celebrities.

On Tuesday, President Biden called on Congress and states to act and said Americans should vote in pro-choice candidates in the upcoming midterm elections.

If the Court does overturnRoe,it will fall on our nations elected officials at all levels of government to protect a womans right to choose, Biden said. And it will fall on voters to elect pro-choice officials this November.

After former president Donald Trump installed a 6-3 conservative majority on the Supreme Court, Republican-led states from Texas to Oklahoma have introduced new laws that severely limit abortion access.

Thirteen states have trigger laws in place, designed to take effect automatically or by quick state action if Roe no longer applies.

In the letter to Congress, the Democratic governors warned that some conservative states could quickly criminalize abortion without federal intervention.

Overturning Roe will turn back the clock on reproductive health, and Congress must immediately take action to ensure that our nation does not go backward and that the rights of all Americans to access reproductive healthcare and abortion continue to be protected, the letter reads.

Read the original here:

Democratic governors urge Congress to codify Roe v. Wade in light of draft opinion - The Hill