James Oliphant

WASHINGTON (Reuters). President Joe Biden is facing a difficult choice: to either chart a course out of this calamity or be overwhelmed in the upcoming midterm elections, in which Republicans hope to regain control over Congress, there are just a handful of months left.

Biden’s first year as president is over. His suburban and college-educated voters, along with women, are now exhausted from nearly two decades of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though there are strong economic indicators, Americans continue to be frustrated by school disruptions and high gas prices.

Biden is the incumbent president. All this affects his popularity. He admitted to his frustrations in a rare White House news conference Wednesday.

Biden stated, “It has been too much for me to bear” in reference to the Pandemic and all its effects on Americans.

Biden said that containing the coronavirus was “a work not yet done”. It will improve.

The United States leads the world https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/countries-and-territories/united-states in COVID-19 deaths, with almost 860,000.

Analysts believe that Biden only has a few months left to change public opinion about his performance, before voters’ attitudes become more hardened ahead of November’s elections.

Republicans proved to be remarkable resilient political, showing renewed popularity despite party fractures following false allegations by former President Donald Trump that the 2020 election had been stolen and attacks on the U.S. Capitol last year.

According to Reuters, more than a dozen Democratic analysts, strategists and pollsters said that Biden must deliver a stronger economic message. One that emphasizes policy wins such as the passage of a major bill on infrastructure and addresses other issues such as supply chain disruptions. All while keeping fighting the pandemic a priority.

Biden has to figure out a way beyond Capitol Hill quarreling and to focus on targeted measures to help those still suffering from the pandemic which has ravaged the economy and changed society in seemingly unending ways.

We have many policies and a lot statistics. Jen Ancona from Way to Win (a Democratic advocacy organization) said, “But we aren’t making people feel worse.”

Biden’s accomplishments in securing COVID-19 relief legislation passage and infrastructure spending were overshadowed and criticized by the party-infighting over “Build Back Better”, a massive spending plan that includes healthcare, education and child care as well as voter protection measures.

Even as Biden spoke on Wednesday, the Democratic-led Senate was poised to hold a vote https://www.reuters.com/world/us/voting-rights-brawl-takes-center-stage-us-senate-2022-01-19 regarding the voting-rights legislation – a top priority of party activists – that seems doomed to failure.

IT’S THE ECONOMY

This month’s Reuters/Ipsos poll revealed that the economy is still the most important concern of voters, despite high employment figures. It was followed closely by containing the spreading coronavirus.

According to Doug Sosnik (a former adviser senior to Democratic President Bill Clinton), the most critical factor for Democratic prospects in congressional elections will be getting inflation under control.

Sosnik stated that sticker shock affects her three to four times per day, depending on whether she buys something. It affects everyone.

Biden acknowledged that Americans are suffering and said that improving supply chains could help lower prices.

Biden lost ground in some groups which helped Trump defeat Trump in 2020. According to the Reuters/Ipsos survey, white voters’ support (41%) has fallen while suburban voters (33%%) and college-age voters (55%) are still supportive of him. However, disapproval among these voters is at an all time high of 50%.

Some of these voters voted for Republican candidates in New Jersey’s governor’s elections last November. The hardcore Democratic base turned out to be less than 1%. Strategists predict that a repeat of this behavior could result in a Republican win by a large margin during the midterm election.

Both chambers of Congress are controlled by Democrats. Biden’s legislative agenda may be ruined if Republicans gain a majority either in the House of Representatives, or both.

Democrats are hopeful that the Omicron variation’s current COVID-19 boost will recede and voters will experience a greater sense and appreciation for normalcy.

The White House may be able salvage some of its legislative agenda, as Biden requested on Wednesday. This would allow Democratic candidates to have more credibility on the campaign trail.

David Pepper, who was the ex-chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, stated that “I believe there’s still an opportunity to get this right”. You have to learn how to make it work.