A recent Gallup poll showed that Republicans favorability is the highest it has been in seven years heading into the 2018 midterm elections. In fact, going into this blue tsunami, Republicans have a higher favorability rating (45%) than Democrats (44%). Ouch.
Is it our tax cuts? Is it President Trump’s tweets? We jest. Here’s how Gallup explained the phenomenon:
“The overall increase in the favorable image of the Republican Party is a result of a jump in the positive views of Republicans, including independents who lean toward the party. The percentage of Republicans and leaners with favorable views of their party grew from 67% last September to 85% now.”
We have an alternate explanation. Over the past several months, Democrats have overplayed their hand so badly that it’s leaving a pretty bad taste in everyone’s mouth. Yes, that can even be explained by the poll numbers in that Republicans are taking a look at the dumpster fire that is the Democratic Party and saying to themselves, “Well, it could be worse, we could be them.”
But back to that blue tsunami. More from Gallup:
“Only one other time in the last decade has the Republican Party had a significantly higher score than the Democratic Party. That one exception came in November 2014, immediately after elections that saw Republicans capture control of the Senate and expand their majority in the House, when 42% rated the GOP favorably and 36% the Democrats.”
If Democrats are counting on a blue tsunami to sweep them across the finish line, the only body of water present on November will be Democrats’ river of tears.