Cook Political Report: “Democrats See Affordability as Their Path Back to a Majority of Governors”

Cook Political Report: “Democrats See Affordability as Their Path Back to a Majority of Governors”

After two landslide victories in Virginia and New Jersey, Cook Political Report released a new analysis detailing how Democratic governors and candidates for governor across the country remain focused on the economy and affordability. See below for more.

Cook Political Report: Democrats See Affordability as Their Path Back to a Majority of Governors

• To paraphrase one of the most famous taglines in politics, Democratic gubernatorial candidates plan to run on an “It’s affordability, stupid” message in the upcoming midterm election.

• Candidates in Virginia and New Jersey notched double-digit wins this fall with a message focused on affordability.

• And virtually all of the 21 candidates I interviewed over the Democratic Governors Association winter meeting this past weekend at the Arizona Biltmore resort invoked it in some capacity as their key to winning their respective races — from top-tier challengers in purple states to long-shot candidates in red ones.

• To be sure, the term “affordability” encompasses not just the price of groceries and gas but also the pending healthcare subsidy cliff, home and rent prices and childcare costs. It is also the case that many voters — especially Democratic and independent voters — lay the blame for the weak economy squarely on President Donald Trump’s shoulders.

• The races for governor are often less sexy than those for Congress — but they’re equally, if not more, consequential. Governors can have more of a direct influence on their citizens’ lives than the federal government at times.

• Democrats were clearly hopeful their candidates in competitive, and even some red states, can overperform the national averages again.

• After Democrats flipped Virginia to their side, the GOP will hold a narrow 26 to 24 advantage once Abigail Spanberger is inaugurated next month.

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