DFP’s newsletter of our latest polls, memos, and memes.

View this email in your browser. ([link removed])

Following some of our latest swing-state polls in Wisconsin, Arizona, Nevada, and Georgia, DFP Executive Director Sean McElwee took to the Data for Progress Blog to analyze Democrats’ current path to retaining the Senate majority in November, and why Democrats should reject long-term Senate doom.

While it’s a great analysis, it’s Friday, and after the Try Guys drama this week we know you’re having a bit of a Buzzfeed renaissance. So here’s the TL;DR of Sean’s three reasons why Dems shouldn’t totally freak out, but in a “I’m sipping my NA beer post-work explain this like it’s friend-drama” way:

1. Mobilized Democratic Voters: You are fed up with Republican extremism and minority rule in Congress. Your energy and efforts in your community will be vital for Democrats to retain control of the Senate in 2022 and beyond.
2. Republican Flop Era Candidates: This cycle, Republicans have nominated some truly awful (in every sense of the word) candidates to be standard-bearers for their party. From Dr. Mehmet “Crudite ([link removed]) ” Oz to right-wing venture capitalist Blake Masters, the 2022 class of GOP candidates are experts at alienating voters, spewing extremist ideology, and putting otherwise winnable races into play.
3. Just the Worst, Most Extreme Policy You’ve Ever Heard: At this point, Republicans across the country are basically advocating to take away all of our rights — which is just a stretch too far for many American voters. The Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe, combined with other extreme positions on a number of issues, has energized Democratic voters and hurt the mobilization advantage that the party out of power typically enjoys.

Anyway, it’s a good piece that we can’t do full justice to here, so read the full blog from Sean McElwee here ([link removed]) .

Here are some other highlights from DFP this week:

Money on the Mind (of voters)

Because not all of us can build lucrative careers around being a wifeguy (disappointing, we know), inflation and the economy are top priorities among voters as we head into November.

A new DFP poll ([link removed]) asked voters to choose from a list of issues and state which ones were most important for a candidate for Congress to prioritize. A plurality of voters (37 percent) list inflation as one of their top three priorities in the coming election — including 27 percent of Democrats, 38 percent of Independents, and 45 percent of Republicans.


While gas prices have started to come down, and voters have taken note (only 31 percent say that gas prices have risen in the last month), voters still feel that the cost of basic necessities is continuing to rise.

Our polling finds that a plurality of voters (49 percent) blame Democrats for the cost of food, gas, and other basic necessities, while only 21 percent blame the Republican Party.


Read the full poll here ([link removed]) .


This Tax Cut Can Function Briefly as a Social Program

The claim that Republican tax cuts help Americans is just as unbelievable as the claim that Elon’s Cybertruck can “serve briefly as a boat ([link removed]) .” Republicans are taking a leaf out of Ol’ Elon’s book and trying to gaslight Americans into believing that tax cuts for the wealthy are good for everyone.

A new survey ([link removed]) from Data for Progress and Priorities USA reveals that they aren’t having it!

Democratic messages on Social Security, healthcare, and taxes are seen as the most convincing reasons to vote for Democrats over Republicans in the midterm elections. Among all likely swing state voters, the most convincing message details the Republican plan to cut Social Security and Medicare in order to give tax breaks to the wealthy, just like they did in 2017.


Read the full blog here ([link removed]) .
Donate to DFP ([link removed])


** DFP In The News
------------------------------------------------------------

New York Times:Is It the Gas Prices, Stupid? ([link removed])

Politico:Two Dem stars struggle to recapture the magic ([link removed])

The Hill: Democrats scrap plan to vote on stock trading ban before elections ([link removed])

The Daily Beast: Dems Wanted to Run on a Ban on Members Trading Stocks. They Let It Slip Away. ([link removed])

Business Insider: Lawmakers found a new excuse to not pass a stock trading ban before the midterms: not enough time to read the bill text ([link removed])

The American Prospect:The ‘Dobbs’ Election ([link removed])

Business Insider:New poll signals Americans are growing tired of support for Ukraine without diplomacy as the war against Russia drags on ([link removed])

Michigan Advance:Republicans saw the economy as Whitmer’s big weakness in the election. Has that changed? ([link removed])

Yahoo News:How Nevada could doom Democrats' hopes of holding Senate ([link removed])

Newsweek:Democrats' Chances of Beating Arizona GOP as Judge Reinstates Abortion Ban ([link removed])

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:New surveys highlight broad public support for Recovering America's Wildlife Act ([link removed])

Business Insider:Investors may soon be able to replicate stock trades by Republican and Democratic lawmakers with the NANC and CRUZ ETFs ([link removed])

The Nevada Globe:New Polls Show Momentum Building For Lombardo ([link removed])

From DFP

Analysis: Senate and Governor Races Remain Tight in Arizona, Georgia, and Nevada ([link removed])

National Poll: Economic Issues Still the Priority for Midterm Voters ([link removed])

National Poll: Swing State Voters Convinced to Vote for Democrats When Told of GOP Plans to Gut Social Programs to Fund Tax Breaks for the Wealthy ([link removed])

National Poll: Voters Support America Leading Diplomatic Efforts Regarding the War in Ukraine ([link removed])

Texas Poll: Texas Voters, Feeling the Pinch of High Home Energy Prices, Support Investments to Improve the Grid ([link removed])

On Social
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]

Dems Deliver

Honest question: do people understand the state of Delaware as a concept? No hate, we respect Delaware as much as anyone. It’s scrappy, seems to have some hustle, and for a small population it’s churned out more Presidents than say, Alabama, and we should probably keep it that way. But really, looking at Delaware on a map, one must ask themselves how this happened. It could easily be part of New Jersey, Maryland, or Pennsylvania.

In fact, according to a recent google search we literally just did, Delaware was originally governed by Pennsylvania until the American Revolution, when they very dramatically declared that they were independent from both the British Crown and Pennsylvania. Love that for them, stay true to yourself Delaware. Don’t let William Penn drag you down.

Delaware may be small, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need infrastructure funding — and of course, Democrats are looking out for them. Federal funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure bill allocated $51.1 million for improvements to Delaware's ports and waterways, including funding to repair and stabilize lighthouses, rivers, and canals. However, the fun(ding) doesn’t end there. Another $3.2 million will go towards replacing contaminated waterway infrastructure and stabilizing the C&D Canal between the Delaware River and the Chesapeake Bay. You can learn more about the projects here ([link removed]) .

Look, we might never reach the true passion for Delaware displayed by Joe Biden. But you know what? Firefly seems like a fun music festival, and if the Democrats keep improving infrastructure in Delaware, we might need to pay more attention to our nation’s second smallest state. (It truly could have been part of Maryland. It would have been so easy.)

Donate
Give us money ([link removed]) . No, seriously, give us money ([link removed]) .

Meme of the Week

(we didn’t forget about the subject line)
[link removed]
Support DFP ([link removed])

============================================================
** Twitter ([link removed])
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Website ([link removed])
** Instagram ([link removed])
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
.