President Biden has lackluster poll numbers, and they seem stuck. Democrats can’t pass much legislation on Capitol Hill. There is wide pessimism within the party about the midterms. So a familiar blame game has begun: Message X, Person Y or Campaign Tactic Z is killing the party. The problem? Virtually […] Read more »
How restrictions on teaching about race and sexual orientation have ‘hijacked’ parents’ concerns about Covid
The pressures of the coronavirus pandemic are reconfiguring the politics of education, dividing Democrats and creating new openings for Republicans. Both sides of that equation will be on display Tuesday in a recall election for three school board members in San Francisco, one of the nation’s most liberal cities. The […] Read more »
Is 2022 the Year of the Angry K-12 Parent?
Veteran GOP strategist Liesl Hickey has dubbed 2022 the year of the angry K-12 parent. “They are mad,” says Hickey, co-founder of the center-right group N2 America, “and they want to hold someone accountable.” … Recent polling suggests that Americans are much less worried about kids getting sick at school […] Read more »
The coronavirus debate over school closures has hurt Democrats
The battle over whether schools should be closed to in-person learning because of the coronavirus has ramped up with the Omicron surge. Schools in a number of districts in the country have either gone fully to remote learning or have delayed returning after the holidays. It has also pitted teachers’ […] Read more »
Explaining the Republican Victory in the Virginia Gubernatorial Election: Conversion or Mobilization?
Key Points• The non-presidential party often performs better in off-year elections than it did in the previous cycle’s presidential race. The recent Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races are no exception, both this year and historically.• This likely has more to do with an enthusiasm advantage generating better turnout for […] Read more »
Biden goes from a contrast to Trump to a contrast to competency
… This is my last column for 2021, and so maybe a little reflection is in order on what has been a difficult year for the country and a disastrous one for President Joe Biden and his party. … Now, as we close the door on this most miserable year, […] Read more »