With Manchin's surprise, Democrats finally believe they have robust agenda to run on
Democrats suddenly feel like they have a robust agenda to run on heading into the fall midterms after Sens. Joe Manchin and Chuck Schumer cut a deal on climate, health care and taxes.
Democrats suddenly feel as if they have a robust agenda to run on heading into the fall midterms.
The surprise climate, health care and tax deal that Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., cut this week with Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has handed Democrats some ammunition to combat what may be their biggest political weakness this election year: rising prices.
“If you want to look at the big MO — the momentum — it is with us right now and we’ve needed that,” Rep. Cheri Bustos, head of the House Democrats’ campaign arm last cycle, told NBC News. “We needed a boost, and just from a mental perspective, we just have to start feeling like we’re getting some wins. I think we were down in the dumps.”
Democrats coalesce around Manchin-blessed bill. But will it be enough before November?July 29, 202209:56No one is saying Manchin’s support of the Inflation Reduction Act is the panacea to solve all of Democrats’ election-year woes. Biden’s poll numbers are abysmal, and Democrats have a razor-thin majority in the 50-50 Senate. House Democrats hold only a five-seat majority, and history shows that the party occupying the White House typically loses dozens of seats in a president’s first midterm. Campaign prognosticators still believe that Republicans are greatly favored to flip the House.
But Democrats believe that with a stronger record to run on, some targeted incumbents will be able to hang on, preventing Republicans from turning 2022 into a big wave election year.
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