Panel Sees Opportunities for Republicans
It’s been a long time since Colorado Republicans had a playing field tilted in their direction, but President Biden’s and the Democrats’ political difficulties and the deteriorating economy are offering a host of opportunities. Republicans are also benefitting from some homegrown good news from redistricting, with one senior congressperson already retiring and a very competitive new district.
How powerful this downdraft will be in Colorado for the Democrats and if the Republicans can take advantage were explored on a Crossley Center for Public Opinion Research panel on January 13, 2022. See The Crossley Forum: 2022 Colorado Election: Trends and Predictions.
The Democrats problems are illuminated by every major metric watched in political Washington:
- Biden’s approval rating is at a new low on his one year anniversary in office – negative 14 percent.
- Republicans are now ahead in the generic ballot test (4%) and the average midterm pick-up for the non-presidential party is 26. They need 4 votes to win the House majority.
- Inflation is at a two-decade high (7.1%) and the market is in correction territory: Dow (-6%), S&P (-9%), NASDAQ (-13%) and Russell 2000 (-12%). (1-27-22)
- COVID-19 and Omicron still disrupt getting back to social, school and business routines.
- The Democratic brand was not helped by the endless public arguments last fall over the BBB package by the left and moderate wings of the party. Republicans at start of 2022 are now ahead in partisan identification by 5 points after being behind by 9 – massive swing to them during the second half of 2021. (Gallup 2022)
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