A recent Gallup poll indicates that the Republican party topped its highest favorability rating in seven years just as voters begin to focus their attention on the mid-term elections.
The reported 7-year high underscores hard economic numbers that the GOP, led by Pres. Donald J. Trump, has forged increased prosperity for Americans of all walks of life after eight years of stagnation under the Obama Administration. According to Gallup, 45 percent of potential voters say they have a positive opinion of Republicans. This marks the highest measure since Republicans took control of the U.S. House and began pushing back hard against the job-killing mandates under Obama in 2011.
Democrats may also fear data the underpinned a 2014 surge in Republican popularity. That uptick came soon after the GOP secured its Senate majority and curtailed the Obama Administration’s progressive agenda.
While political pundits on the left are pointing to the controlling party traditionally losing seats, the economic and geopolitical landscape has radically changed due to the Trump Administration working hand in glove with congressional conservatives.
Republican Popularity by the Numbers
The White House’s “Make America Great Again” policies have resulted in a 49-year low unemployment figure, and all-time lows for African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans. Republicans are also riding high on the popular Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that has put more money in workers’ paychecks, lowered income taxes, improved child tax credits and secured other economic benefits.
The Gallup data shows marked improvement in Republican favorability across the board over the last 12 months. These are significant demographics that view the GOP more favorably.
All Adults: Republican favorability increased from 36 to 45 percent from Sept. 2017 to Sept. 2018.
Lean GOP: Voters increased their lean toward the GOP from 67 to 85 percent over the last 12 months.
Lean Democrat: No change in party leaning over the last 12 months.
Low-Income Households: GOP favorability increased by 6 percent over the last 12 months.
Middle Class: Favorability from middle-income Americans rose from 36 to 49 percent for the GOP during the last 12 months. Democratic favorability declined.
High-Income Households: GOP favorability improved by 4 percent. Democratic favorability increased by only one percent.
Although Democrats have historically held the upper hand in this type of favorability polling, Republicans hold a rare 1-point edge less than two months away from the critical mid-term elections. The so-called “Blue Wave” hailed by Democrats has also not been supported by voting numbers in special elections.
GOP Enjoys Off-Year Winning Streak
The mainstream and fake news media have touted the mythic Blue Wave that will sweep out Republicans in each special election since Pres. Trump won the White House.
Biased, left-leaning outlets called many off-year contests a “referendum on Trump.” The results have and continue to overwhelmingly favor the Trump-led GOP. Aside from the heavy-Democrat California 34th Congressional District, Republicans have won 8 of 10 special elections.
The two exceptions were the Alabama elections in which Democrat Doug Jones defeated flawed Republican Roy Moore after an outpouring of sexual misconduct allegations. In Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional District, Democrat Connor Lamb won by running an anti-Nancy Pelosi campaign while promising moderate representation for voters. Lamb was also aided by a strong Libertarian candidate who reportedly siphoned off a significant number of otherwise Republican votes. To say these were anomalies would be something of an understatement.
But the deciding factor heading into the November elections may come down to the economic stability and prosperity that has fueled the GOP surge. That could spell doom for far-left candidates that have vowed to roll back the president’s signature tax reform legislation. Even self-identifying Democrats are now resisting progressive candidates.
Left-Wing Extremists Did Poorly in Primaries
Despite the “resist” and “obstruct” cries from Democrat leaders, even Democratic primary voters are leaning to the middle or right.
While Socialist-Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has been making headlines for her upset win in New York and complete ignorance of international politics, economics and a wide range of other smart things, other contests showed low support for progressives.
Moderate Democrats have succeeded in 27 out of 29 primaries when supported by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Far-left candidates have largely come up short in party voting. This signals a departure from the far-left politics of many incumbents and party members carrying leadership endorsement.
It appears even within the Democratic Party, members are trying to pivot to the center in fear of being brushed off by voters in November. That Blue Wave, well it could be waving goodbye to left-wing extremism come November as the GOP rides the wave of American prosperity.
~ Liberty Planet
