Nov. 4, 2022
Permission to republish original opeds and cartoons granted.
Poll: Bolduc surprises and takes lead from Hassan for N.H. Senate seat, leads younger voters by 15 points
By Robert Romano
Republican New Hampshire Senatorial nominee Don Bolduc has jumped into the lead in his bid to defeat incumbent Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan, 48 percent to 47 percent, in the latest St. Anselm poll taken between Oct. 28 and Oct. 29.
Bolduc closed a previous gap of 9 points in the St. Anselm poll in late September, when Hassan led Bolduc 49 percent to 40 percent. With Hassan losing 2 points and Bolduc gaining 8 points, it appears late deciders are coming to the Republican candidate’s side.
Bolduc has opened a massive lead among younger voters, leading Hassan among 18-to-34-year-olds, 56 percent to 41 percent. That improves on Bolduc’s lead in the late September St. Anselm poll, when he led 18-to-34-year-olds 48 percent to 40 percent.
But the shift in the races comes as Bolduc, who was trailing Hassan among 35-to-54-year-olds and 55-to-64-year-olds by 12 points and 2 points, respectively, to now leading Hassan among those groups: 50 percent to 45 percent among 35-to-54-year-olds and 49 percent to 45 percent among 55-to-64-year-olds.
The economy and inflation expanded in importance in the polls, with 39 percent of voters saying they were the most important issues, up from 33 percent in September. And abortion decreased in importance to voters, from 20 percent in September to 19 percent today.
Among 18-to-34-year-olds, 41 percent say the economy and inflation are now the most important issues, and just 18 percent say abortion as Democratic hopes of leveraging the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade to galvanize younger Democratic voters into the Nov. 8 elections could be rapidly fading. In September, 38 percent said the economy and inflation as the most important issues, and 22 percent said abortion, showing that as time goes on the potency of the issue could be eroding.
The only age demographic Hassan is performing well with are seniors, who favor her 55 percent to 38 percent.
In national generic ballot polls taken during this cycle, and just generally in U.S. elections, younger voters tend to favor the Democratic candidate and older voters tend to favor the Republican candidate.
That might be the most interesting part of this race, with the Republican candidate leading younger voters and losing among older voters, and yet the same demographic breakdown occurred in the Trafalgar/Daily Wire poll in New Hampshire taken Oct. 30 to Nov. 1 that also found Bolduc leading the race among 18-to-64-year-olds but losing among seniors.
Is something strange happening in New Hampshire? We’ll find out next Tuesday. Stay tuned.
Robert Romano is the Vice President of Public Policy at Americans for Limited Government Foundation.
To view online: https://dailytorch.com/2022/11/poll-bolduc-surprises-and-takes-lead-from-hassan-for-n-h-senate-seat-leads-younger-voters-by-15-points/
Cartoon: Like A Rock
To view online: https://dailytorch.com/2022/11/branco-cartoon-like-a-rock/
Video: You Can’t Support Democracy While Oppressing Political Dissent
To view online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQncV-HtalA
Market Research Foundation: Beware the Establishment Call for Unity
By Market Research Foundation
The political establishment is pushing a new narrative that they hope will stymie Americans’ growing list of grievances from double-digit inflation to obscene fuel costs, a perpetual border crisis, and the insidious transgender agenda permeating schools and culture at large.
Like many establishment narratives this one relies heavily on identity politics and uses young people to make a point. The new agenda ridicules Americans who have strong convictions on issues like the disastrous handling of covid-19 or the introduction of adult gender ideology into schools and calls them out for their lack of “unity.”
Further, the new agenda threatens political leaders who dare speak out against the current Administration with a loss of the youth vote if they refuse to put aside their convictions and form a lukewarm alliance with the globalists ruining the country.
Keep your eyes peeled for narratives pushed by mainstream outlets warning that Gen Z – young people in their teens and early twenties – are fed up with the country’s lack of “unity.”
One such political narrative pushed by the Walton Family Foundation warns that Gen Z wants political rivals to “come together” and “find a middle ground”. The report is full of buzz-phrases warning Zoomers want to see political leaders “include underrepresented voices” and “lean into collaboration”. The report is more narrative than substance, and Market Research Foundation’s comprehensive research on Zoomer attitudes disputes the “unity” narrative based on a significant amount of data.
While this unity narrative might sound innocuous on the surface, the agenda behind it is intended to do two things: shame and intimidate the American people for holding convictions and not acquiescing to the radical demands of the political establishment, and subtly threaten political leaders with the idea that they’re out of touch and will lose the youth vote unless they compromise. The establishment only calls for unity when they know they are losing.
MRF chairman Bill Wilson spoke at length on the establishment’s convenient call for unity just as the tide is finally turning against them and their globalist policies. “Just watch”, Bill said. “They will create a media spokesman for this point of view, a Greta for example. That person will be hyped to the max.”
He continued, “I saw it happen. In 1983 the country was red hot. Reagan had pulled us out of the recession, things were looking strong and there were all sorts of organizing and pressure against the Democrats and nature of government in general. And out of the blue, Senator Bob Packwood, gives a speech about how vital it is we cool things down, take it easy, reduce the emotion, etc. That speech was echoed a million times, he was on every program being praised, etc. It was horrible. But in the short run, it had the desired effect.”
The call for “unity” is a chilling warning that could foresee a much over-due power shift. However, while the sudden call for unity may be politically convenient to keep the establishment in power, evidence doesn’t support that young people want lukewarm compromise. If anything, Zoomers on both sides of the aisle have strong convictions and aren’t looking for watered-down policies.
Market Research Foundation’s comprehensive study of over 1,500 members of Gen Z found unwavering support for an America First agenda, non-interventionist foreign policy, and the rule of law, particularly on the border.
Our research found 85% of young Republicans, 74% of young Independents, and 65% of young Democrats say the goal of any law or policy should be to benefit Americans first, even at the expense of other countries. This is a fairly uncompromising ideology for supposedly unity-driven Zoomers.
Our research also shows 68% of young Republicans, an equal share of young Democrats (68%) and 71% of young Independents think the U.S. should stay out of international conflicts as much as possible. Over half of Zoomers say they would not support a candidate who supports foreign wars – another piece of evidence that doesn’t line up with the “unity” narrative.
Below is a table showing Gen Z’s foreign policy views.
On immigration, Gen Z rejects open borders and lawlessness when it comes to immigration policy. Eighty-one percent of Gen Z say immigrants must follow the rules to become citizens even if they are difficult and 58% of Gen Z say it doesn’t matter if illegal immigrants cause problems; if they came here illegally, they need to leave or go through the proper procedures to stay.
Below is a table showing Gen Z’s immigration policy views.
To view online: https://marketresearchfoundation.org/2022/11/03/beware-the-establishment-call-for-unity/
These views are hardly the lukewarm call for establishment unity that the mainstream claims young people are demanding. If anything, young people on both sides hold particularly strong political opinions, and their frustration with the political norm isn’t a call for unity, but a call for action to address issues like crippling inflation, destructive foreign policy, and the growing border crisis.
To view online: https://marketresearchfoundation.org/2022/11/03/beware-the-establishment-call-for-unity/