WASHINGTON — Republicans have perfected the art of keeping Democrats enthusiastic about the serious social issues of the day, but in this election year, it appears they are the ones feeling the impatience.
In a mid-term cycle that appears to be timed for significant Republican gains in the House and Senate, Democrats have steered the conversation away from topics that are thorny for them, such as inflation, and gained ground on abortion rights and same-sex marriage. It was very successful. And crime.
They’re getting a lot of help from Republican missteps, perplexing Democrats who usually expect more cunning from across the aisle.
“They can’t seem to get out of their own way,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, one of the Democratic incumbents on the November ballot.
One reason for their struggle is that large parts of the Republican base are out of step with broader public opinion on these issues. Although most Americans support the right to same-sex marriage and at least some abortion rights, many Republican voters continue to oppose same-sex marriage and support strict, if not outright bans on abortion. wants restrictions. The disconnect makes steering this agenda perilous for Republicans, who must choose between alienating their core supporters and alienating the independents they need to win over in November. There is.
Trouble is showing.
On Thursday, Democrats announced they would postpone a vote to protect same-sex marriage until after the election after supporters failed to secure enough Republican support to overcome a Republican filibuster.
This was an interesting decision by Sen. Chuck Schumer, the New York Democratic majority leader. He usually doesn’t miss an opportunity to cause political pain to the opposition. But he acquiesced to requests from bipartisan supporters of the bill for more time and less demanding conditions.
Republicans were spared what appeared to be a difficult situation, but the damage had already been done.
The filibuster threat stems from the reluctance of some Republicans to vote in favor of same-sex marriage before the midterm elections, and because others have a record of opposing same-sex marriage at inopportune times. He made it clear that he did not want to leave it. Either way, Republicans appeared to be unsettled about an issue that most Americans thought had long been resolved.
The Republican stance in the Senate has prompted hundreds of prominent Republicans, including Senate candidates in Pennsylvania and Colorado, to “reaffirm that marriage for gay and lesbian couples is firmly established as the law of the land.” It was enough for him to sign a letter calling for the passage of same-sex marriage legislation. ”
On abortion, Republicans sought to resolve the issue quickly, knowing that the Supreme Court’s decision striking down Roe v. Wade would complicate efforts to take back Congress. Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, the minority leader, has said a Republican-controlled Congress could pursue a nationwide abortion ban, but Republicans have soft-pedaled the idea and instead passed the ruling. The decision was made to emphasize that the issue of abortion rights was returned to each state. I said it belongs. The incident has been resolved.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, on Tuesday announced plans to ban abortions after 15 weeks nationally, imposing federal restrictions on blue and purple states, with support from anti-abortion groups, and threatening his colleagues. It surprised me. These companies are not participating in the post-Roe race that enacts strict new restrictions on procedures.
To the balk of many of his Republican colleagues, Mr. Graham has declared that the upcoming election is essentially a referendum on abortion, declaring that if his party wins a majority in Congress, he will actually ban abortions. He said he would consider it.
Despite their determination to keep the issue away from Capitol Hill, Senate Republicans and their midterm candidates are suddenly forced to answer whether they support such a ban, and suburban women who play a key role in the election outcome may be expelled. Again, some Republican lawmakers and candidates sought to distance themselves from the proposal.
Privately, many of Mr. Graham’s colleagues wanted to rein him in. Some were more diplomatic.
“I didn’t know anything about it,” said Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas. “I don’t know what his motives were.”
Democrats could not believe their good fortune. On a day when new inflation statistics were sending the stock market lower, Graham shifted the conversation back to topics that have so far proven favorable for Democrats in response to the court ruling, the Delaware Democratic Party said. said Senator Chris Coons. It had already shocked many people.
“Having succeeded in securing a conservative majority to overturn Roe v. Wade, Republicans are proposing to go further,” Coons said of the Graham bill.
Graham insists he will eventually be proven right.
“I think my position is reasonable and logical, and as time goes on, I’m happy with the win that day,” he said. “Once the dust settles, everything will make sense.”
Until then, Democrats are happy to run ads depicting Republicans as reactionaries.
Republicans also weighed in on immigration, another volatile social issue, after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sent a charter flight of migrants to Martha’s Vineyard, an island resort in the blue state of Massachusetts. They were in danger of coming into conflict with public opinion. The stunt was aimed at highlighting the uneven impact of federal border policies and celebrated many Republicans turning their campaign stories to a dysfunctional immigration system.
However, there was also the risk of a backlash. Polls also show that while most Republicans have a hard line on immigration, a majority of Americans view immigrants positively and are particularly sympathetic to refugees. ing. -It could also anger voters who consider it cruel.
Republicans acknowledge that they have avoided the turmoil surrounding fights over abortion rights and same-sex marriage, but argue that the focus on these issues is primarily the concern of the U.S. government.
“Can we do without distractions?” asked Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-North Dakota. “Maybe. But I think voters are still focused on the main thing.”
“At the end of the day, I think it’s still about economics, stupid,” he added, quoting a famous line from Bill Clinton’s successful 1992 presidential campaign. “Everyone is still paying high prices for groceries and other things, and that’s going to be an issue in this election.”
Republicans are also trying to regain the upper hand on abortion, portraying Democrats as extremists who do not support any regulation, a position that also conflicts with that of many Americans.
“The Democratic Party’s position used to be Roe v. Wade,” Cornyn said. “We now have unlimited abortions up to the point of birth, which is just shocking to me. Most people’s views on this are even more nuanced. They may be pro-choice, but they say there are limits. Let’s go.”
Democrats have not explicitly proposed such sweeping policies, but they would protect access to abortion across the country by banning a long list of abortion regulations, including those enacted after the 1973 Roe decision. A bill is being submitted. The bill was defeated in May with Senate Republicans joining in. One Democrat blocked it.
While Cornyn acknowledged that Democrats have been successful in stirring up voter enthusiasm on social issues, he told the Republican chorus that the economy, border security and rising crime will continue to be the defining themes of the election. Joined the.
“Inflation is not going away. The Fed will continue to raise interest rates,” Cornyn said. “People will continue to be grumpy.”
Democrats, accustomed to being on the losing side of culture clashes, say Republicans have misread the public on these issues and will pay the price.
“The Republican Party is far from mainstream America,” Blumenthal said. “When it comes to women’s right to make personal decisions, individual women can make very different decisions. But the majority of people believe that those decisions are made by them, not by government officials. I believe that they should be trusted.”