Democrats Want Biden To Go Negative Ahead Of 2022 Midterms

As 2022 approaches, all political eyes are on the midterm election. And with that, Democrats have decided it is time for President Joe Biden to take the gloves off and come out swinging against Republicans.

Since the House passed the $1.2 trillion dollar infrastructure bill, Democrats have determined that the optics of bipartisanship is no longer needed and they want Biden to start going after Republicans for opposing his massive economy-busting spending agenda, and what they view is the GOP standing in the way of progress on things like COVID.

RELATED: Amid Mandate Controversy, ‘Fully Vaccinated’ Is A Fuzzy Term

Democrats Want To Compare And Contrast

While Democrats want to portray Republicans as “getting in the way” of progress, former Obama Press Secretary Robert Gibbs says it is time for Democrats to lay out the contrast between Democrats and Republicans. 

Gibbs stated:

“The president is in an awkward position [because] to get things done outside of reconciliation will require Republicans. But sooner or later, Joe Biden has to make this more than a referendum on himself and his presidency and instead make this a stark choice between two very different ideas and philosophies. Contrast with Republicans’ positions will be central to having a chance in the 2022 midterms.”

The strategy seems to be not only to paint the GOP as being against the spending bill, which the CBO has estimated the true cost at $4.9 trillion, but to also portray Republicans as sidling up to the gas and oil industry and assisting them in “padding profits” and wanting higher gas and energy prices in an election year. 

The fact that gas prices hovered around $2.17 nationally this time last year, and now are as high as $5 a gallon in places like California, might be a bit of a stretch for Democrats to pull off.     

RELATED: Dispelling 3 Common Myths About Abortion

How Low To Go

Currently, there is not much consensus within the Biden administration about how negative Joe Biden should go. According to a report from Politico, several close to Biden, including Chief of Staff Ron Klain, have encourage Biden to take a more partisan approach to Republicans.

While Biden has not shied away from going after former President Donald Trump, even as far as hypothetical physical threats, and has had run ins with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), people like former Bill Clinton chief of Staff John Podesta don’t think it is in Biden’s nature. “It’s not [Biden’s] style. I think for the president it’s not where he’s comfortable.”

RELATED: Stone-Cold Reality: Ukrainian Entry Into NATO Would Make War More, Not Less, Likely

Obvious Targets For Democrats

There are some issues Democrats believe to be low hanging fruit they can throw at Republicans.

Far-left Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) has hopes that Biden will take the GOP on concerning voting laws and the filibuster in the Senate: “This is about taking away the right to vote for millions of Americans, and that’s unacceptable. And so there’s got to be a way to have a carve out for the filibuster. I’m confident he’s gonna do everything he can.”

Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY) would take it one step further. He would like to see Democrats visit every competitive GOP district, except for those who assisted Democrats with the passage of the infrastructure bill and ask voters, “this is what your district is getting and this is what your member voted against.” 

Biden did come out swinging at then-Virginia gubernatorial candidate now Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin back in October at a campaign stop for Democrat candidate Terry McAuliffe. Biden attempted to tie him to what is being called the “insurrection” at the Capitol on Jan. 6, and stated that, “Extremism has come in many forms. It can come in the rage of a mob driven to assault the Capitol. It can come in a smile and a fleece vest.”

Joe Biden may want to pick his targets carefully and not take any advice from any Democrats that advised McAuliffe. American voters may think extremism comes in the form of Democrat candidates who don’t think they have a right to know what their children are being taught in school.