Democratic leaders seem to be preparing well for the upcoming midterm elections that will take place next year. On Thursday, POLITICO reported that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) had raised a whopping $6 million across just two days of recess from Capitol Hill. The amount is the highest two-day fundraising total that Pelosi has ever garnered, and she’s been in office for decades. Besides her own campaigning, Pelosi raises money on behalf of Democratic candidates. In 2019, for instance, Pelosi led the raising of over $87 million on behalf of Democratic contenders, having held a total of 181 fundraising events across a whopping 54 cities.
Politico Playbook: $6 million. That's how much Speaker Pelosi raised during her Hill recess. In two days. It's the largest 48-hour sum she's ever hauled in, her team says.
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 1, 2021
Traditionally, parties with a president in the White House face tough odds in the first midterm elections of that president’s time in office, but at present, President Joe Biden is enjoying relatively high popularity compared to the dismal approval levels that Donald Trump received while in office. According to a weighted average from FiveThirtyEight, Biden garnered the overall approval of 54 percent of the overall population as of Thursday afternoon, which is well above Trump’s levels. Trump left office with an average overall approval level of under 40 percent, according to FiveThirtyEight’s weighted numbers.
Biden’s policies are also enjoying relatively high approval. In a recent survey, a full 57 percent of overall respondents said that they support a “large infrastructure bill,” and in the time since, the Biden administration has rolled out its previously talked about infrastructure spending proposal. The proposals include considerable new government spending that would support infrastructure repairs and updates around the country, with target areas ranging from decaying roadways to dangerous lead pipes that are still in use. The Biden team hopes to replace all lead pipes that are currently being used, among other propositions.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has apparently floated passing the House’s version of the infrastructure spending bill by July 4, although this timeline could shift. Republicans have already begun complaining about the proposals, no matter the wide support among the general population, so Senate Democrats might have to rely on budget reconciliation to pass their version of the bill. Budget reconciliation is a procedure that allows certain legislation to pass with a simple majority of the Senate behind it.
White House chief of staff Ron Klain indicated in recent comments to POLITICO that, if needed, Biden is ready to see through the passage of the infrastructure package without any support from Republicans in Congress. During a speech on Wednesday, Biden himself reiterated the same idea, insisting that authorities “have to get it done” — presumably meaning with or without Congressional Republicans.
White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain suggested the Biden admin is willing to advance its jobs and infrastructure plan with no Republican support. https://t.co/Gs7kXqeBuG
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 1, 2021
