Democrats should worry

With Election Day less than two months away, two things should worry Democrats.

First, the optimistic talk about a blue wave/tsunami might motivate non-MAGA Republicans who don’t love Trump to vote anyway - so as to stop “radical, left-wing, socialist Democrats.”

Second, another tsunami is hitting: hundreds of millions of dollars of Republican attack ads targeting “radical, left-wing, socialist, defund-the-police, they’re-for-they/them-not-you” Democrats.

In September 2024, remember, Kamala Harris led Trump in polls by anywhere from 2% to 7%.

I had a sinking feeling over the next few weeks of that campaign as I watched baseball playoffs and college and NFL football - my TV addiction - and saw endless ads pummeling Harris and Democrats, with no effective Democratic comeback.

Roy Cooper’s campaign knows this. That explains their stream of don’t-be-complacent emails, which Frank Bruni poked fun at in The New York Times:

“Cooper’s campaign is hardly the first to suffer (and probably exaggerate) the heebie-jeebies about supporters’ complacency, nor is it unique in lavishing much of its public-relations energy on fighting that. But it takes that tack to almost comical lengths.”

There’s nothing comical, though, in contemplating another two years of Donald Trump in the White House, unconstrained by Congress.

Yes, Trump has hit unprecedented low approval ratings in polls, approaching Nixon during Watergate or what Herbert Hoover might have polled during the Depression.

He’s losing on two dimensions: character and issues.

In our latest statewide poll, the words voters chose to describe him were “childish…corrupt…vindictive…incompetent…declining…dictator.”

Their feelings about him personally were 57-37% unfavorable. His job-approval rating was only 40% - with 58% disapproval.

But voters don’t love Democrats much more.

In our poll, North Carolina voters gave the Democratic Party a 53-33% unfavorable-favorable rating - a shade better than the Republican Party’s 56-44% unfavorable rating.

Don’t forget that there are more registered Independents and registered Republicans than registered Democrats in the state today. Historically, too, higher percentages of Republicans vote than Democrats.

Over the weekend, I was among what I’m sure is a distinguished cadre of online influencers who got an email from Jeff Allen, Cooper’s campaign manager, warning that:

“Late on Friday the Supreme Court reversed decades of law and ruled that local TV broadcasters must give parties and committees a massive discount on television ads, making it possible for them to buy ads at a massively discounted rate. Following NRSC v. FEC, this means the RNC can now spend virtually unlimited amounts of money – and get candidate rate while doing it.”

He added:

“As President Trump starts to spend his $850 million war chest this cycle, news broke on Friday that MAGA Inc. is eyeing the North Carolina Senate race.”

And he concluded:

“I would appreciate your help amplifying the importance of this race online to ensure we have enough resources to win.”

OK, Jeff. Let’s try this:

If Democrats take the Senate - which won’t happen unless Cooper wins - Trump will be a neutered lame duck with very little real power for the next two years.

If Cooper loses, Trump is certain to be unchecked and unhindered, unleashed to ram through his most dangerous desires. He’ll have nothing to lose and nothing to stop him.

Don’t sleep on this race.