MYTH: A Prez Performance is Related to Congressional Election Outcome

[berni_mccoy]

I see so many people say that because Bush is doing so horrible that republican lawmakers are distancing themselves in order for it not to hurt their re-election bid. I don't buy it (and I don't think many people outside of DU will either; in fact I've already tested the idea on many of my moderate friends... they see no reason to oust their republican congressman because of Bush).

I'd like to see some of these people offer some strong evidence to support that claim.

My counterexample (and I only need one to prove a point) is the Clinton years... here we have a president with high approval ratings and successful policies, yet, we lost big-time in 94 congressional elections.

What will it take for the Dems to have our own 1994 Congressional Blow-out?

[Patchuli]

1. Probably cheating like the GOP

did when DeLay got Texas redestricted. And now that bodybuilder bad actor playing my governor thinks he's going to do the same to California? HAH!

[AX10]

2. The 94' losses were the result of the GOP being able...

to paint Clinton's policies in a bad light. Also, Democratic corruption played a major role too. We must be able to do the same to Bush. A reccesion is likely next year and with Iraq and the corruption, Democrats should be able to take back congress. Also, remember the grass roots operations too.

Next year, Democrats will GAIN seats. The range that is possible.

Low:
Senate: 48
House: 220

High:
Senate: 53
House: 242-250

[Ignacio Upton]

3. Actually Clinton was not popular in 1994

His Healthcare plan was killed, and the AWB and Don't Ask Don't Tell wre controversial. Signing NAFTA also alienated many people on both the progressive left and paleo-conservative right voter who still voted for Democratic candidates on Congressional and Local levels. There was also corruption among prominent Democrats, like Rostenowski (sp?) and the BCCI scandal where members of both parties were involved but the Democrats got punished because they were in charge. His popularity only rebouned in 1995 after the Republicans went too far (ie: shutting down the Government to beat Clinton on the budget battle