Opinion Today
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One in Three Americans Think Pandemic Is Over Megan Brenan, Gallup Although COVID-19 cases in the U.S. are on the rise, 34% of Americans say the pandemic is over, and a broad majority say their own lives are at least somewhat back to normal. Still, half of U.S. adults do not think their lives will ever return to pre-pandemic normalcy and about three-quarters expect COVID-19-related disruptions to life in the U.S. will persist through the end of the year or longer. Black Americans fear more racist attacks after Buffalo shooting Silvia Foster-Frau, Arelis R. Hernández, Scott Clement & Emily Guskin, Washington Post [via opiniontoday.com] Two years after George Floyd’s murder, nearly 8 in 10 Black Americans say there has been little or no improvement in how police treat Black people, according to a Washington Post-Ipsos poll
More Americans label Republican Party extreme and Democratic Party as weak CBS News Republicans are more likely to say White Americans suffer "a lot" of discrimination than they are to say Black Americans do. Democrats see quite the opposite. And Democrats are more likely to say it's very important for political leaders to condemn White nationalism. Americans feel uneasy as economic concerns grow CBS News America's mood is uneasy and worried. Amid continued inflation and stock market declines, large majorities describe their mood as such, and the percentage who call the economy bad has hit highs for the Biden presidency.
Politico-Harvard poll: Majority of Americans support continued migrant expulsions under Title 42 Krista Mahr, Politico The majority of Americans oppose the Biden administration’s decision to end a public health order used to expel migrants at the U.S. border, according to a new POLITICO-Harvard survey, underscoring how a law designed to stop the spread of disease is now widely seen as the best way to control immigration.
New Mexico: Ronchetti enjoys big lead over GOP rivals in governor's race Dan Boyd, Albuquerque Journal [via yahoo.com] With New Mexico's primary election just over two weeks away, Mark Ronchetti's strong name recognition is propelling him to a commanding lead among statewide Republicans in this year's race for governor, a new Journal Poll found. Polling shows America in the middle on abortion David Nather, Axios Years of polling have shown that Americans recognize gray areas in a way that you'd never hear about if you just listened to the politicians and the activists. Republicans are gaining with female voters, as gender gap shrinks Harry Enten, CNN The polling ahead of the 2022 midterms has been marked by a shrinking of electoral divisions. Young and older voters are now more likely to agree on their views of President Joe Biden. The Democratic advantage among Black and Hispanic voters, while still clear, is smaller. Perhaps more surprisingly as we head into the heart of the primary season, the same is true when it comes to gender. Trump's MAGA is marching down a trail blazed by the Tea Party Ron Elving, NPR News A little more than a dozen years ago, a new movement erupted in American politics calling itself "the Tea Party." The political ferment and fervor once associated with that label have grown more intense as they were reshaped by former President Donald Trump. Today, the populist energy within the Republican Party goes by the name he gave it: MAGA (Make America Great Again). And its influence on the 2022 midterms seems destined to track that of the Tea Party surge in 2010.
House Democrats scramble after redistricting lessens competitive edge Marianna Sotomayor & Colby Itkowitz, Washington Post Democrats became newly worried this month as favorable redistricting maps in Florida and New York were struck down and replaced with district lines that will likely make it even more difficult to keep their already slim majority in the House. How Gen X Became the Trumpiest Generation Ben Jacobs, Politico Magazine Alt-rocker Cherie Westrich’s journey may seem unusual, but given the strange political arc of her generation, it might not be. Georgia voters showed us these 3 things about the fall election Steve Inskeep, NPR News In Atlanta's distant suburbs, voters across the political spectrum report that local life is good in 2022 — but the direction of the country is not. That's one of three major insights we gained while interviewing voters in a key state. We visited two metro Atlanta counties — one blue and one red, both prosperous, populous and diverse. Democrats Fight Headwinds in Georgia and Beyond: ‘The Problem Is Reality’ Shane Goldmacher & Katie Glueck, New York Times Raphael Warnock and Stacey Abrams, viewed as strong candidates by their party, will be running against President Biden’s low ratings as well as their G.O.P. rivals. Republicans Can’t Handle Losing Jamelle Bouie, New York Times Republicans, having embraced counter-majoritarianism as a principle, are now looking for ways to extend it. Election deniers who say Trump won in 2020 are running to be top cop in 4 battleground states Adam Edelman, NBC News At least 15 people who push false claims about the 2020 results are running for attorney general in 14 states, including four swing states, according to a group tracking the races. How Trump’s 2020 Election Lies Have Gripped State Legislatures Nick Corasaniti, Karen Yourish & Keith Collins, New York Times At least 357 sitting Republican legislators in closely contested battleground states have used the power of their office to discredit or try to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, according to a review of legislative votes, records and official statements by The New York Times. 2022 midterms: What to watch in Georgia, Texas, elsewhere Jeff Amy, Associated Press Georgia takes center stage in Tuesday’s primary elections as Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger try to fight back challengers endorsed by former President Donald Trump, who is seeking revenge for his 2020 election defeat in the state. What to watch in Tuesday’s primaries in Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas and Minnesota. Pence, Tiptoeing Away From Trump, Lays Groundwork for ’24 Run Jonathan Martin, New York Times The former vice president is part of a group of Republicans who have visited early nominating states as they weigh a challenge to their party’s most dominant force. The top 10 GOP presidential candidates for 2024, ranked Aaron Blake, Washington Post Pence edges up the list as he places a big bet against Trump in Georgia What the School Wars Are Really About Joshua Zeitz, Politico Magazine The 1925 Scopes trial was presented as a conflict between secularism vs. religion. But the fight also went deeper, hitting at the very meaning of freedom in a democracy. And that same debate rages on today.