Democrats attending the party’s national convention in Chicago are divided on their chances of winning back control of the House of Representatives in this year’s election, according to interviews conducted by The Epoch Times and NTD News at the Democratic National Convention.
Some Democrats expressed confidence, citing enthusiastic youth support as a key factor that would help them in down-ballot congressional races. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said, “I feel it’s going to happen. There’s just this animation, this enthusiasm, this growing momentum.” He also mentioned that Vice President Kamala Harris’s candidacy would be the “X factor” for candidates in tough races.
Representative Teresa Leger Fernández echoed these sentiments, stating that with Harris and Tim Walz on top of the ticket, they would have better organizing on the ground and more momentum to win back the House. However, not all Democrats share this optimism.
Representative Maxine Waters pointed out that some states have a straight-ticket voting option which could help them regain control of the House. On the other hand, some Democrats are not confident about their chances. Representative Pramila Jayapal emphasized that voter turnout would be crucial and acknowledged that it was a heavy lift for their party.
The article also highlights concerns about Republicans targeting President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’s administration’s record on the economy as a potential challenge for Democrats. Some Democrats believe they need to focus on non-Democratic voters by emphasizing what they perceive as Trump’s danger if he were to be reelected.
Throughout the convention, Democrats have emphasized abortion as their main policy issue to turn out voters. Party officials vowed to pass legislation through Congress federally permitting abortion even in states where it is currently banned if they win reelection.
while some Democrats express confidence based on youth support and enthusiasm for their candidates like Harris and Walz at down-ballot races, others are less optimistic about regaining control of the House due to challenges such as voter turnout and Republican attacks on economic policies. The party has also highlighted abortion rights as a key issue during their convention.