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Last November’s election results were far from final, and Republicans, who barely managed to rake in a majority in the House, made it clear what their priorities would be in the upcoming Congress.
Research, research, more research.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy said, “In just 47 days, House Republicans have the gavel in hand and are ready to hold the Biden administration accountable from day one. “Our investigation is just beginning.”
Curiously, the poll didn’t reach the top of voters’ concerns heading into the midterms, and even ultimately didn’t settle.
To be clear, Republicans certainly need to check progressive policies and runaway behavior. , and has every justification to investigate the origins of COVID.
But the signal from Republican leaders is that investigations will be pursued diligently, taking precedence over issues that actually concern everyday Americans.
It is wrong to do so.
House Republican leader McCarthy blows up omnibus bill after it passes
Single mothers trying to fill up their gas tanks and small business owners struggling to keep their doors open are the ones the FBI is criticizing even if Project Veritas is unfairly targeted by the Justice Department. I don’t care if you accidentally raid Melania Trump’s closet for classified documents.
Republicans in Congress and state legislatures would rather spend their political capital doing what Americans voted for them. Indicates that
This approach has paid off handsomely with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis this year and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin in 2021. Both politicians were able to excite their bases while corralling new voters they hadn’t previously allied with, such as disgruntled Democrats and Hispanics. and suburban women. By actively engaging with voters early on, they were able to see how issues such as educational freedom and a strong economy would appeal to people of all backgrounds.
By focusing on policies that truly impact people’s daily lives, the group I lead has been able to achieve the greatest policy and legal victories at both the state and national levels.
Take, for example, defeating the 2020 Illinois Graduated Income Tax ballot measure, a signature initiative of Gov. JB Pritzker. One of the country’s more liberal states, he could capitalize on voter anger that the bill would disproportionately affect the incomes of retirees and the middle class.
Or our efforts that led to the historic U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Janus v. AFSCME that non-union civil servants no longer had to pay union dues as a condition of working in the public service.
For the Republican Party to be successful on the front lines of policy and politics, it must lead on issues that matter to voters.
Equally important, Republicans will need to stay in touch with voters through 2024. According to LegiStorm data, Democrats are doing a much better job of it. In 2021, Democrats will host her 1,307 in-person and virtual town halls. That’s 52% ahead of him over the 864 hosted by the Republican Party.
An exterior view of the US Capitol is seen on Monday, November 14, 2022, during the second day of orientation for new members of the House of Representatives in Washington, DC.
(via Sarah Silbiger, Washington Post, Getty Images)
Unsurprisingly, elected officials are reluctant to hold town halls in a hostile and divisive political environment. Fewer legislators have been shown to hold fewer town hall meetings. By contrast, the most effective legislators hold the most town hall meetings.
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While voters may not agree with delegates on all points, they are more likely to respect delegates’ attendance, which can lead to voting. The impact is particularly dramatic for swing voters, with one study showing that people who were 50% more likely to vote for an incumbent member were 73% more likely to vote if they attended the Town Hall. shown to be high.
This is clear. If Republicans want a “red wave” mandate, they must have the courage to face voters every day in city halls, on the airwaves and in the press. Mounting the attack requires listening to the working class and the non-elite segments they claim to be and determining how they can best serve them.
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Donald Trump’s rise to power is partly due to the Republicans’ vagueness about the agenda the moment they took power. Democrats, on the other hand, seize and use political power purposefully, even with the narrowest majority.
The best way to ensure 2024 is policy-focused rather than individualistic is to listen, market and enact policies that will improve the lives of most Americans. But research doesn’t make people’s lives better. Policy is.
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