NEWS AND OPINION:
The proverbial “kitchen table issues” are an ongoing force in elections, recently cited by Virginia Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin, three days after he won the race.
“The kitchen table issues of low taxes and great schools, and safe communities — and oh, by the way, a growing economy with job opportunities — these kitchen table issues had been pushed to the background, and voters in Virginia said no, no, no — these are the most important topics for us,” Mr. Youngkin told Fox News at the time.
A Monmouth University poll released Wednesday agrees: “Rising prices are the top kitchen table worry.”
“Concerns about inflation have taken center stage in discussions around America’s kitchen tables. And, as one would expect, many are placing the blame squarely on Washington,” said Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.
“Regardless of which issue they name as their top concern, nearly half of the public (46%) says that concern has been hurt by federal government actions since the beginning of the year. Back in July, 34% felt that the federal government had hurt their family regarding their top concern at that time. The largest jump in those saying they have been hurt by government actions has been among Republicans (up 24 points to 82%), while there has been less movement among independents (up 6 points to 47%) and Democrats (up 3 points to 10%),” the analysis said.
“The number of people who say their family’s top concern has been hurt by the federal government is higher now than at any point during Donald Trump’s administration (which ranged from 37% to 42% between 2017 and 2019) and nearly matches the first time Monmouth asked this question during Barack Obama’s presidency (47% in January 2015). The number who say their family’s top concern has actually been helped by the federal government stands at 25%. While this is down from July (31%), it is similar to poll results from January 2017 (27%) and higher than other polls taken during both the Trump and Obama years (14% in 2015, 2018, 2019),” the analysis advised.
The poll of 808 U.S. adults was conducted Dec. 2-6.
HOLA REPUBLICANOS
Voter demographics continue to evolve. Yet another significant poll reveals that Hispanics — a 32 million-member voting bloc, according to Pew Research Center — are warming toward the Republican Party.
“The nation’s large and diverse group of Hispanic voters is showing signs of dividing its support between Democrats and Republicans more evenly than in recent elections, a new Wall Street Journal poll finds, a troubling development for the Democratic Party, which has long counted on outsized Hispanic support,” the news organization said of its findings.
“One year after giving Democratic House candidates more than 60% of their vote, according to polls at the time, the Journal survey found that Hispanic voters are evenly split in their choice for Congress. Asked which party they would back if the election were today, 37% of Hispanic voters said they would support the Republican congressional candidate and 37% said they would favor the Democrat, with 22% undecided,” the Journal said.
The poll of 1,500 registered U.S. voters was conducted Nov. 16-22 and released Wednesday. The sample included 165 Hispanic voters.
“Hispanic voters are moving toward the Republican Party because Democrats’ reckless spending caused a massive inflation crisis,” observes Mike Berg, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee.
GET THE POPCORN READY
President Biden is destined to be a lame duck president, writes Saul Anuzis, former chairman of the Minnesota Republican Party and current president of the 60 Plus Association.
“The Democrats are already circling the wagons and starting the drum beat as to who will be the Democratic nominee for president. Vice President Kamala Harris, former First Lady Michelle Obama, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg? Those are just to name a few,” Mr. Anuzis writes in a brief analysis shared with Inside the Beltway.
“Biden’s policies are such a disaster that voter backlash seems inevitable. And ambitious Democrats are floating their names, options and maneuvering to gently push the sitting President out,” he continues.
“This should be a good one to watch,” Mr. Anuzis concludes.
THE VALUE OF STAR-SPANGLED TRUNKS
A recent celebrity auction demonstrates that the patriotic theme still resonates with the public. Los Angeles-based Julien’s Auctions presented the personal property of iconic actor Sylvester Stallone on Sunday, and when the bidding was done, here’s what some of the items fetched.
“One of the highly anticipated moments of the auction was the sale of a vintage, 1970s era Mead brand spiral-bound notebook containing Sylvester Stallone’s original handwritten script pages for what would become the classic Oscar Award winning 1976 ‘Best Picture’ film Rocky. The rare one-of-a-kind manuscript filled with Stallone’s early and original plot details, scene specifications, and dialogue and character development concepts (some of which have never been revealed) for his breakthrough starring role as underdog boxer, Rocky Balboa, who would rise up to be the world heavyweight champion, sold for a knockout $437,500, over eight times its original estimate of $50,000,” the auctioneer said in a statement.
“The sale of the film legend’s silk boxing trunks emblazoned with the American flag from the 1982 third installment of the film series, Rocky III, had the eye of the tiger, selling for an incredible $200,000, twenty times its original estimate of $10,000,” the auction advised.
POLL DU JOUR
• 50% of U.S. adults are uneasy about President Biden’s “ability to deal wisely with an international crisis”; 90% of Republicans, 60% of independents and 13% of Democrats agree.
• 56% of men and 45% of women also agree.
• 33% overall are “confident” about Mr. Biden’s ability; 4% of Republicans, 23% of independents and 72% of Democrats agree.
• 31% of men and 36% of women also agree.
• 16% overall are “not sure”; 7% of Republicans, 18% of independents and 15% of Democrats agree.
• 14% of men and 19% of women also agree.
SOURCE: An Economist/YouGov poll of 1,500 U.S. adults conducted Nov. 27-30.
• Helpful information to jharper@washingtontimes.com
