A progressive donor group is warning candidates that the Democratic brand is dragging them down in key states. The group’s leaders think they have a solution: lean deeper into economic populism and name villains.
Those are two top conclusions from a private poll, shared first with NOTUS, which surveyed Sunbelt voters last month. Much of the findings mirrored public polling: The cost of living dominates voters’ concerns and they’re increasingly frustrated with President Donald Trump’s handling of the economy. But among these battleground and red-state voters, Democrats don’t hold the generic-ballot advantage they have in other national polls.
The progressive donor group Way to Win paid for the research, as its leaders look to push Democratic candidates toward more populist framing ahead of the midterms. The group recently presented the data to staffers for the Democratic Party committees, as well as national and state-based advocacy groups. The group also said it’s planning to hold briefings with Democratic congressional members.