Despite naysayers’ predictions — and despite the machinations of individuals like Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Democrats are not out of the running as the midterm elections approach. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), which is an official arm of the national Democratic Party that handles races for U.S. House seats, has reported that it raised $12.6 million in November, has a full $73.8 million on hand, and has no debt — which is apparently the committee’s best November showing in a year without nationwide elections in history. Compared to November 2019, the committee has a staggering $26 million more on hand. Democrats are not giving up.
Punchbowl: The DCCC raised $12.6 million in November and has $73.8 million on hand and no debt. The committee says this is its best off-year November in history by more than $3.6 million. They have $26 million more than they had on hand in November 2019. @PunchbowlNews
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 20, 2021
There’s a lot at stake. In the House, Democrats currently possess a slim majority, so flipping just a small number of seats could substantively shift the balance of power in D.C. Throwing in redistricting — and gerrymandering — makes the midterm elections even more precarious, since Republican state officials in certain locales have utilized the redistricting process to deliver a significant boost to their own party. For example, Ohio Republicans appear set to control somewhere around 80 percent of the state’s U.S. House seats with lines that the state’s Republican Governor Mike DeWine recently approved, although Trump won there in 2020 by a much smaller margin — meaning that the map doesn’t accurately reflect the political distribution of the population.
After spending so much time working on exposing how Trump literally tried to end American democracy, it almost makes us yearn for the simpler days of telling people about how he was using the government as his personal piggy bank
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) December 20, 2021
A slew of lawsuits have already been brought over redistricting-related issues, but those can take significant lengths of time to play out. In the meantime, the Biden administration and its Democratic allies in Congress have been able to see through a substantial list of accomplishments — even if Manchin proclaimed over the weekend that he wouldn’t support the Build Back Better Act after all, despite participating in lengthy negotiations over the bill, which would support fighting climate change, improving health care access, and more.
Rep. Adam Kinzinger to ABC on whether the committee will subpoena Trump: "If we need it, yes. Nobody should be above the law."
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 20, 2021
As recapped by White House press secretary Jen Psaki, these Democratic accomplishments include “the American Rescue Plan, the fastest decrease in unemployment in U.S. history, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, over 200 million Americans vaccinated, schools reopened, the fastest rollout of vaccines to children anywhere in the world, and historic appointments to the Federal judiciary.” These tangible successes could help propel Democratic candidates forward.
Guardian US: Trump is perturbed by aides invoking the Fifth Amendment – makes them look weak and criminal, he has told associates – and considers them foolish for not following Bannon in ignoring subpoenas.
— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) December 20, 2021
