Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Oct. 28 that Democrats are worried that the momentum has shifted toward Republicans as polls continue to tighten in the leadup to the Nov. 8 midterm elections.
Psaki was asked to comment on an Oct. 27 hot mic moment when Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) was overheard telling President Joe Biden on the tarmac of a New York airport that Democrats are “in danger” of losing a seat and are “going downhill” in Georgia.
“What we heard there and what you saw on the screen is similar to a lot of the conversations Democrats are having behind the scenes and a lot of people I talked to as well,” Psaki said during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
“People are fearful about where the momentum is going in some of these races,” she added. “Yes, there are very encouraging signs like the record early vote numbers, but numbers in some of the House races are not where they should be.”
The former White House official also said that it appears Democrats are encouraged to vote for candidates “at the top of the ticket” but lack enthusiasm for down-ballot races.
“A lot of people I talked to are worried about voters being encouraged and excited about people at the top of the ticket, and maybe not excited enough to vote for the congressional candidates, and that’s a real concern,” Psaki said.
It isn’t the first time Psaki expressed concern about the Democratic Party ahead of the midterms. In late September, she said the party will lose if they are seen by the electorate as a “referendum” on the leadership of Biden.
Republicans now consistently lead Democrats on the generic congressional ballot. As of this writing, the RealClearPolitics average has Republicans up 2.9 percent in the generic congressional ballot polling average; only two of the past 15 polls show a Democratic lead.
Last-Ditch Effort
Psaki also said witnessing “all these people out on the trail,” including former President Barack Obama and Biden, is a reflection of Democrats’ concerns over where the midterm elections are headed.
“That’s why I think you see Barack Obama, Joe Biden all these people out on the trail because they’re trying to light a fire with Democrats right now,” she said.
Obama recently traveled to Georgia to attempt to bolster Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) and Democrat gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. In an event outside Atlanta, the 44th president said that the “basic foundation of our democracy” is under threat and that voters should elect Democrats.
Last week, Obama also campaigned in Michigan and Wisconsin, two key Midwestern states. He will visit Nevada on Tuesday and then hold multiple events in Pennsylvania alongside Biden on Saturday.
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, meanwhile, made a rare joint appearance on Oct. 28 in the key battleground state of Pennsylvania in an effort to boost Senate hopeful John Fetterman, a fellow Democrat, in the closing stretch ahead of the midterm elections.
“Democracy is literally, not figuratively, on the ballot this year,” Biden told the event. “I’m going to be spending the rest of this time making the case that this is not a referendum. It’s a choice, a fundamental choice.”
Fetterman, who suffered a stroke five months ago, appeared on stage on Oct. 25 to debate rival Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz as the two vie for a key Senate seat. The impact of the stroke was apparent during the debate as Fetterman used closed-captioning posted above the moderator to help him process the words he heard, which led to occasional awkward pauses.
The Senate stands at 50–50, with Harris serving as a tiebreaker. In the House, Republicans need to gain a total of five seats. Historically, the party that occupies the White House tends to lose seats in Congress.
