Staff Reports
Democrats may want to hold their heads high about their supposed wins in the midterm elections two years back, but the latest events suggest they’ve been celebrating a pyrrhic victory. President-elect Donald Trump’s recent triumph has set the stage for Republicans to take the reins of power across the federal government. While Democrats were busy licking their wounds from the 2022 elections, they failed to grasp that they’ve stumbled into a worst-case scenario.
The 2022 midterms could quite undiplomatically be termed a catastrophic success for Democrats. They clung to the delusion that they had found the winning formula to defeat Trump, yet they were left holding the empty bag as they lost control of the House of Representatives anyway. President Joe Biden’s post-election press conference was a telling moment, where he confidently asserted that everything was just fine and almost reassuringly stated that the more people understood what his administration was doing, the happier they would be. This bizarre logic speaks volumes about the Democrats’ disconnect with the American electorate, especially when a staggering 75% of voters believed the country was heading in the wrong direction.
Democrats would have been better off with a red wave two years ago! The loses in the 2024 Election's clarified the reasons they lost all 3 branches now, OK!https://t.co/tKUqxOmSK8
— ❤Scott S Cooper❤ (@SSscoop475) November 12, 2024
The foundational flaw in the Democrats’ grand strategy lay in their unwavering belief that they – yes they – had everything under control. There was no need for any major adjustments leading into 2024, according to their skewed reality. Inflation? Border crises? Global instability? The solution, they believed, was simply more PR and a better appreciation of Biden’s “accomplishments.” Spoiler alert: reality doesn’t bend that easily, and the loss of the House put an end to their legislative ambitions for the next two years.
Republicans, on the other hand, secured the popular vote in 2022, yet they fell short in maximizing their seat count due to candidate quality that left much to be desired. Instances reminiscent of the Tea Party era reared their heads, but victory in three out of the most competitive races served as a small consolation prize. At least they managed to keep Democrats on their toes. While the GOP was revitalizing its ranks, troubling indicators were popping up among Democrats – from disillusioned minority members to younger voters who harbored doubts about Biden’s age and leadership. Not exactly a healthy coalition.
The upcoming 2024 election cycle presents a very different picture for the Democrats, as they grapple with their aging leader and an even less solidifying support system. It’s almost comical that as Biden stands firm, his own party reacts frantically to trail their impressive failures with celebrity endorsements and half-hearted economic proposals. Vice President Kamala Harris may try hard to advocate for everyday Americans, but hoping to energize bored college-educated voters might not be the winning strategy they envision.
History offers Democrats two great cautionary tales. They need only look back to the early crises of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, both of whom faced midterm drubbings but miraculously turned things around around by swing to the center. As Democrats cling to their perceived victories, they fail to see the writing on the wall. America is two years deeper into extreme economic challenges and further distanced from political promises, while Trump thrives on rallying those he previously brought to the political arena. The Democrats’ blue wall may soon resemble an abandoned mine shaft, utterly collapsed by the weight of their own overconfidence and poor decision-making. Come January, the sight of Trump being inaugurated alongside Republican majorities could serve as cold comfort for Chuck Schumer and his team.
