"The voters who will decide if Republicans gain a majority in Congress and the White House over the next two elections are more concerned that infrastructure funding is spent efficiently, effectively, and fast than they are with President Biden’s and Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desire to reimagine the American economy.
Survey research commissioned by the Center for American Ideas in 21 key suburban and exurban counties and cities reveals support for the Republican approach in the ongoing infrastructure debate. These election-deciding voters are closely following the discussions between President Biden and Senate Republicans. With Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.) leading negotiations, Senate Republicans have focused on funding and rebuilding roads and bridges while also creating jobs. On the other side of the table, President Biden and Speaker Pelosi have sought to make the meaning of infrastructure as broad as the Atlantic Ocean.
When discussing infrastructure, Republicans should be using a message of reasonableness and efficiency -- it is the best approach to earning the votes of suburban and exurban voters. The key is to communicate frequently about ideas with bipartisan support that match up with voters’ priorities.
Republicans can also win this argument by pointing out that President Biden and congressional Democrats only seek a meager 7% of total spending on actual infrastructure, such as construction and improvement of bridges, highways, roads, ports, waterways, and airports. Further, Geoff Colvin, with Fortune, points out that infrastructure investments only rise to 24% of total spending when upgrading wastewater and drinking water systems, expanding high-speed broadband Internet service, modernizing the electric grid, and improving infrastructure resilience are all added to the total. What about the remaining 76%?"
