Independent Voters Rush Away From Democrats on Economy Ahead of Midterms: Survey

President Joe Biden (L) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) (R) listen as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks at an event at the White House in Washington, on Aug. 9, 2022. Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

A new survey reveals that independent voters are fleeing from the Democrats due to the economy and inflation, two weeks before the midterm elections.

Independents are 20 percent more concerned about the U.S. economy and gas prices in October than they were last month, according to a public tracking poll taken by Navigator, a liberal survey group.

The polling group reported other signs of a possible “red wave” for the midterm elections on Nov. 8.

This is an ominous warning for the Democrats and a serious concern for the Biden administration, which is anxious about losing control of Congress.

The Navigator survey took responses from 1,000 registered voters nationwide over a five-day period, Oct. 6–10.

Only 19 percent of respondents said they had a positive outlook on the economy, compared to 79 percent who said they had an unfavorable view. Out of that total, only 6 percent of Republicans and 12 percent of independents has good feelings about the current state of the economy.

About 64 percent believe that the economy is “getting worse,” 19 percent say there has been no change, while only 13 percent said it’s “getting better.”

The price of groceries and gas were considered to be the top concerns among voters regarding rising prices, with 80 percent mentioning it in the survey.

At least 78 percent of respondents complained that grocery prices have gone up “significantly.”

Democrats Fear Losses Among Independents and Moderates

The Washington Post and Politico report that many Democratic strategists are attempting to keep Democrat voters, donors, and volunteers “from losing their nerve,” as the Republicans surge in the polls.

“The election is so close that we are just past the point of national polling having the ability to tell us where we are. It is going to go race by race at this point,” Simon Rosenberg, a Democratic veteran strategist who works with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told The Washington Post.

“The big remaining question is whether the Democratic overperformance of public polls in recent elections carries on to current voting.”

Democratic pollster Molly Murphy told Politico that signs do not look good for the Democrats, but she still believes that they will to do better than expected.

“I don’t think anyone is bullish that Democrats will have a great night, but the question should be how bad it could have been,” said Murphy.

Blue states like New York, Rhode Island, Oregon, and Washington are hemorrhaging voters to Republicans in House, Senate, and gubernatorial races, according Democrat pollsters, reported The Washington Post.

The survey revealed that in addition to the economy and inflation, voters in those four states are also greatly disturbed by rising crime rates.

Crime “is the issue,” said Hank Sheinkopf, a longtime Democrat strategist based in New York, to Politico, explaining that Democrat policies on defunding the police and failed bail reform efforts have hurt them among moderate voters.

According to Sheinkopf, rising crime rates in New York “is part of a cluster of issues called ‘chaos and disorder,’” such as inflation, supply-chain shortages, and economic uncertainty.

“For the people who are the most alienated from this political system, they’re less concerned about abortion than chaos and things being out of control,” he said.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) told CNN’s Jake Tapper that the Democrats were losing the support of young and working-class voters in the midterm elections because of the economy and higher prices.

“I am worried about the level of voter turnout among young people and working people who will be voting Democratic,” said Sanders.

“And I think, again, what Democrats have got to do is contrast their economic plan with the Republicans.”