‘An Important Step’: Democrats Win Shutdown Blame Game But Still Lose On The Economy

Democrats are facing a strange problem as they head toward the midterm elections. While voters blame Republicans more for the recent federal government shutdown, they still trust the GOP more when it comes to handling money issues. This shows a big challenge for Democrats as they try to win back working-class voters who have moved toward Donald Trump in recent years.

Several polls done after the shutdown show that Americans hold Republicans more responsible for the halt in federal funding. According to Politico, an Economist/YouGov survey found that 41 percent of people blame the GOP, compared to 30 percent who point to Democrats. Despite winning the blame game, these same voters gave Republicans a 4-point lead when asked which party they trust more on money issues.

Rep. Laura Gillen from New York called her party’s shutdown stance “an important step” toward convincing voters that Democrats can handle rising costs. The Long Island representative, who is defending the swing seat she flipped last year, said this needs to be part of a bigger talk to show that Democrats care about the money problems Americans are facing and have a real plan to fix it.

Democrats Are Trying To Win Back Voters’ Trust On The Economy

The party is now trying to use its small amount of power to force Republicans to stop Affordable Care Act subsidies from ending at the end of the year. This effort is part of a bigger plan to deal with cost-of-living worries that voters say are a top issue. Democrats believe their group of working-class candidates, including a firefighter in Pennsylvania and a waitress in Wisconsin, can help reconnect with blue-collar Americans.

Rep. Henry Cuellar from Texas, who is trying to get reelected while facing federal bribery charges, talked about the challenge ahead. “Are we going to get all the working class back? Probably not,” he said. However, he sees a chance if Democrats keep talking about bringing costs down and make sure people know they are a real choice.

The political situation shows some movement in Democrats’ favor. Trump’s approval rating on money issues has dropped a lot since the start of his second term, and three-quarters of adults in a recent CBS/YouGov poll said Trump is not doing enough to lower prices. However, experts warn that one stance on health care costs will not be enough to erase Republicans’ lead on the economy.

Democrats are counting on their shutdown position and their focus on prices to help reverse their losses from 2024. Their national campaign arm has started a digital and billboard ad campaign to tell voters about coming premium increases. 

But some polls show that voters think Democrats should end the shutdown, with nearly two-thirds of people in one survey saying this. The healthcare debate has become more complicated, with some Republican senators raising serious worries about proposed Medicaid changes that could affect millions of Americans. Despite these worries, Democrats remain committed to their current plan.