Voters say Biden, Democrats are 'out of touch' and 'condescending' in damning new poll
The bad news for President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party continued to roll in this week in the form of a new battleground district poll that found voters increasingly favoring the Republican Party ahead of the midterm elections.
What are the details?
The poll, conducted by the National Republican Congressional Committee, published Wednesday, found that among voters in 77 battleground congressional districts across the country, Biden's approval rating sat 15 points underwater.
According to the survey, 40% of voters in these districts — which Biden won in 2020 by a net of five and a half points — disapproved of the job the president is doing, while 55% disapproved.
A narrower focus on Biden's approval rating found that 45% of voters strongly disapprove of Biden's performance while only 17% strongly approve.
Making matters worse for the president, only 30% of independent voters, a key voting bloc, approve of his performance, while a whopping 62% disapprove. The NRCC noted the latest results indicate a -34 point swing in approval ratings among independents since Biden's inauguration last year.
An overall negative perspective on Biden and the Democratic Party seemed to be driving the numbers as 75% of swing voters in the districts reportedly agreed that Democrats are "out of touch" with everyday Americans as well as "condescending" towards voters.
What else?
The poll also found that jobs and the economy led the list of concerns among battleground voters and, on this issue, Republicans held a significant advantage.
In a press release, the NRCC noted that Republicans lead by 24 points with voters most concerned about the cost of living and by 20 points with voters most concerned about jobs and the economy. The GOP reportedly held an advantage on a litany of other issues, including crime and immigration, as well.
"Battleground voters continue to hold Democrats responsible for the negative impact that record-high inflation, soaring crime, and the crisis along our southern border are having on their lives," the group said, adding, "These voters overwhelmingly support Republicans who are focused on addressing these issues."
The Republican Party led a generic ballot consisting of all the battleground districts by four points, the poll found.
Why does it matter?
The NRCC survey produced results similar to several other surveys conducted in recent months. The overall trend is clear: Democrats are poised to surrender significant political ground when voters head to the polls in the midterm elections unless something drastically alters the state of play.
For example, a Wall Street Journal survey published earlier this month depicted what has been labeled a "5-alarm fire for the Democratic Party."
The survey found that 57% of voters disapproved of the job Biden is doing and 63% believed the country is heading in the wrong direction.
Moreover, the poll found that Republicans were making inroads with Hispanic and black voters, two voting demographics that typically favor Democrats.
At the time, Philip Klein, writing at National Review, said, "If these numbers are anywhere close to the actual results, Democrats will be massacred in November."