Longtime Democratic operative and ABC News contributor Donna Brazile got a last-minute lesson in why her party could lose both the House and Senate in today’s midterm elections. On Tuesday’s Good Morning America, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said the only two issues voters are interested in are inflation and crime, while Democrats are “more interested in talking about abortion and about threat to democracy.”
“And when you see a party not talking about the things that voters are talking about, it usually means it [the election] is moving away from them,” Christie added.
Even host George Stephanopoulos, a former Clinton campaign and White House operative, reminded Brazile that the landscape was not encouraging: “Democrats are facing historic headwinds. When inflation is high and the President’s approval rating is low, the ‘in’ party loses.”
Brazile claimed that, the polls notwithstanding, Democrats “have been so excited about this election....We see a historic turnout.” She insisted that Democrats “have a plan, you know, to fight this inflation, to lower gas prices. Republicans are running on blue smoke and mirrors, you know, ‘I’ll promise to give you something if you vote for me.’”
That set Christie up perfectly: “They’re voting on what Democrats have given them, not on what Republicans might give them. And what Democrats have given them is 40-year high inflation, crime rates across the country that are rising, a border that’s allowing fentanyl to come across in record amounts that’s having a real impact on families across the country. Remember, this is not a referendum on Republicans. That’s what happened in 2018. This is a referendum on Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and the leadership of the Democratic party.”
Here's the key portion of that exchange, plus a longer transcript below the video:
ABC’s Good Morning America
November 8, 2022, 7:35am ETGEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Let’s bring in our political experts, Chris Christie and Donna Brazile, Republicans and Democrats. Chris, you were out campaigning all across the country during these midterms. What do you expect tonight?
Former New Jersey Governor CHRIS CHRISTIE: Look, George, I just have felt, especially in the last ten days, a real movement towards Republicans, and it’s really been because of what I’m hearing from voters, not about who they’re voting for but what they’re talking about. They’re talking about inflation and they’re talking about crime. And those are really the only two issues I’ve heard voters talking about in states where I’ve been to. In Colorado particularly, inflation is up over 15% in Colorado. They’re really feeling it out there. So in those states, that’s why I think – it’s those issues are ones that Democrats have been uncomfortable talking about. They’re more interested in talking about abortion and about threat to democracy. And when you see a party not talking about the things that voters are talking about, it usually means it’s moving away from them.
STEPHANOPOULOS: And, Donna, Democrats are facing historic headwinds. When inflation is high and the President’s approval rating is low, the ‘in’ party loses.
Former DNC Chairwoman DONNA BRAZILE: George, we know that Democrats must defy the odds, but what we also know is that Democrats have been so excited about this election. They’re excited because they know what’s at stake in this election. We see a historic turnout. We may have in some cases more voters who turned out in the last four years, but here’s what voters understand. They know that Democrats have a plan to lower prescription medicine prices....They have a plan, you know, to fight this inflation, to lower gas prices. Republicans are running on blue smoke and mirrors, you know, ‘I’ll promise to give you something if you vote for me.’ Democrats know how to create jobs, how to invest in the future and what you’ll see today is historic turnout, not just in those so-called battleground states but in those traditional states where people don’t vote.
CHRISTIE: George, look, the problem is that they’re voting on what Democrats have given them, not on what Republicans might give them. And what Democrats have given them is 40-year high inflation, crime rates across the country that are rising, a border that’s allowing fentanyl to come across in record amounts that’s having a real impact on families across the country. Remember, this is not a referendum on Republicans. That’s what happened in 2018. This is a referendum on Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and the leadership of the Democratic party, and as we look at, you know, numbers over the course of years only George W. Bush in the last 30 years has defied the gravity of the party in power in the White House losing a significant number of seats.
BRAZILE: Over 10 million new jobs created, I don’t think people are complaining about the jobs created. They’re not complaining about the investments that we made in the economy. All of the good things that Republican governors are out there campaigning on, you know what, the American people do not want to hand the keys to the people who tried to break into the House and destroy our democracy. That’s why abortion it’s all about –
CHRISTIE: You keep talking about that.
BRAZILE: It’s on the ballot in five states.
CHRISTIE: But what they need, they need three of those 10 million jobs to be able to pay to get some milk and eggs in Joe Biden’s grocery stores. That’s the problem. And look, in terms of –
BRAZILE: Oh. He’s turned into a grocery clerk?
CHRISTIE: You know what he is though? I love watching his Twitter feed because when gas prices went up, it was Vladimir Putin’s fault. When gas prices come down, it’s Joe Biden’s cause. Look, he can’t be selective that way. The American people know it.
The education of Donna Brazile on the Election Day GMA was brought to you by the Apple iPhone14.
