From WWW.BBC.COM
She will “probably vote for Trump again” if he runs in 2024, she said – two years into Joe Biden’s presidency, Ms Jordan didn’t think he was “in touch with small business owners” like herself.
Pennsylvania is the top prize in this year’s November midterm elections, with Democrats fighting to gain a seat in the US Senate and keep a candidate who backs Mr Trump’s false claim that the 2020 election was stolen out of the governor’s mansion.
The party has borne the brunt of Americans’ fury over the soaring inflation, and insiders have warned that voters must be convinced the economy is improving if Democrats hope to stave off major losses in the midterms.
Though the president’s party scored policy wins in the final weeks of summer – passing long-sought climate legislation that, they claim, also addresses inflation, and announcing student loan debt relief for millions – Democrats are expected to lose the majority they hold in at least one chamber of Congress.
“You got a lot of folks in Pennsylvania that are worried about what’s right in front of them,” said Mustafa Rashed, a Philadelphia-area Democratic strategist. “It’s harder to get people involved in the voting process. You’re competing with their attention with pocketbook issues.”
In late August, Mr Biden announced that he would cancel $10,000 or $20,000 in federal student debt for borrowers whose income fell below a certain threshold. The White House said the move would provide relief for millions, particularly low and middle-income households.
Around the same time, Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act; while the name was meant to show Democrats addressing inflation, the bill actually pumped billions of dollars into climate change initiatives, raised taxes on the wealthiest Americans, and helped lower prescription drug prices for seniors who use the government’s Medicare program. At a 13 September White House celebration, Mr Biden proclaimed that the bill would “cut costs for families, helped reduce inflation at the kitchen table”.
Republicans have hammered Democrats in local races over inflation and the cost of basic necessities, trying to pin blame for a complex economic issue on the party in power. Polling has shown voters trust Republicans over Democrats to handle economic issues. A Politico/Morning Consult poll conducted from 16 to 18 September found 46% of registered voters trusted Republicans in Congress on the economy, compared to 38% who trusted Democrats (16% weren’t sure, or didn’t have an opinion)…. (Read more)
