Young Democrats abandon Biden faster than any group

NEWS AND OPINION:

An exodus of a vital demographic from President Biden’s camp may be underway. A headline from Morning Consult explains:

“Young voters, who helped Biden to victory, are a big weak spot in the Democratic coalition — only 28% of the youngest Democrats strongly approve of Biden’s job performance, down 31 percentage points since he took office,” the news organization said Monday.

“America’s youngest voters accounted for the biggest turnout increase of any age group between the past two presidential elections, helping deliver full control of Washington to President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats,” wrote Eli Yokley, a senior reporter for Morning Consult, in his analysis of this emerging phenomenon.

“But with just under five months until the midterm elections, it’s this group of voters who present a major challenge for the Democratic Party’s fraught efforts to hold onto Congress this year: Morning Consult Political Intelligence tracking shows Biden’s decline is especially grim among 18- to 34-year-olds,” Mr. Yokley said.

“The Democrats among them are less likely than their older peers to see him as prioritizing the country’s biggest problems or holding true to his campaign promises, threatening to stunt base enthusiasm ahead of the consequential campaign season,” he noted.

The comparative surveys in question were conducted Jan. 20-22, 2021, among 3,449 Democratic voters, and June 4-6 among 3,952 Democratic voters.

Other Morning Consult surveys conducted in April and May also “suggest disappointment” among the young Democrats with what Mr. Biden has prioritized and what he’s actually delivered for the nation, Mr. Yokley said.

BEHOLD THE ‘GASTASTROPHE’

Oh no, say it isn’t so.

“Gas prices are the new COVID. Social isolation? Check. Disrupted supply chain? Check. Crime spike? It’s coming: a Michigan police department announced it had exhausted its fuel funds and would be picking and choosing which calls to respond to in-person or over the phone,” advised Teresa Mull, assistant editor at the Spectator World, in an essay published Sunday.

President Biden is in the middle of an “oil and gastastrophe” after canceling the Keystone XL pipeline and promising to end oil and gas drilling leases on public lands, among other things.

“The Obama/Biden years of ‘hope and change’ have devolved into what CNBC describes as ‘delays and uncertainty,’” said Ms. Mull, who also noted that the price of airline tickets already has risen by 25% just as the summer gets underway.

“The price of jet fuel is climbing higher and faster than Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun.’ This also means freight costs are through the roof and will be passed onto the consumer,” she said.

NOSTALGIA FOR $2.39

“Over the weekend, the national average price for gas passed $5.00 a gallon. Indeed, more than 20 states are now paying over $5 a gallon as part of the Biden gas hike,” wrote Tommy Pigott, rapid response director for the Republican National Committee, in a brief analysis of current fuel challenges under President Biden.

He also suggested that #BidenGasHike could be a timely hashtag on social media.

Well yes. It could be particularly effective for social media users in California, considering that gas is now $6.46 a gallon in Los Angeles and $6.61 in San Francisco, according to the ever-faithful analysts at GasBuddy.com.

The nonstop rise in the price of gas is also a political factor as well, with negative repercussions.

“It’s a fact made even more painful when considering the price of gas when Mr. Biden took office. On January 20, 2021, the national average was $2.39 per gallon, meaning prices have more than doubled under President Biden,” Mr. Pigott continued.

“Democrats like Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer must know Biden is to blame. After all, they blamed President Trump when gas prices were much lower during the time he was in office. It’s a perfect indictment of the Biden administration. Too bad for Chuck Schumer, though. Americans want Trump’s gas prices back. We just need to elect Republicans to get them,” he advised.

ABBOTT TAKES A STAND

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is taking a practical and aggressive stand to protect schoolchildren in the Lone Star State following the killing of 19 children and two adults in the Uvalde school shooting on May 24.

Mr. Abbott has sent a letter directing Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath to create the new position of chief of school safety and security within the agency.

The governor requested in his letter that the new chief be a “recognized expert” in school and public safety and “an effective coordinator of multidisciplinary teams,” adding that the position will have a direct line to the governor’s office.

“The task of ensuring the safety of our schools and students is not solely held within one entity in the State, but encompasses many different agencies and divisions, all with different charges and authority in implementing legislation and making recommendations for future policy changes,” reads the letter.

“While we have seen these agencies work together earnestly in the wake of the tragedy in Uvalde, a single point of contact to coordinate such efforts, now and in the future, would further improve their services,” Mr. Abbott advised in his letter, adding that the new chief should focus on “best practices” to safeguard against school shootings or other dangers to the young population.

POLL DU JOUR

• 53% of U.S. adults believe that the worst part of the coronavirus pandemic is “behind us”; 68% of Republicans, 55% of independents and 44% of Democrats agree.

• 11% overall believe we are currently in the worst part of the pandemic; 9% of Republicans, 10% of independents and 15% of Democrats agree.

• 14% overall believe the pandemic is going to “get worse”; 11% of Republicans, 12% of independents and 17% of Democrats agree.

• 22% overall are not sure what stage of the pandemic we are in; 13% of Republicans, 23% of independents and 24% of Democrats agree.

SOURCE: An Economist/YouGov poll of 1,500 U.S. adults conducted June 4-7.

• Helpful information to jharper@washingtontimes.com