With the midterm results still rolling in, members of the NBC News Political Unit joined the Chuck ToddCast to discuss what happened.
NBC News Senior Political Director, Mark Murray, says it’s the fundamentals: Presidential job approval, dissatisfaction with the economy, and getting food on the table. According to our latest poll, 81% are dissatisfied with the economy and 72% think the country is headed in the wrong direction.
But Murray said partisanship may have been the larger story of Election Night. “Polarization and especially the Democratic enthusiasm really did seem to be the story from last night.”
Deputy Political Editor, Bridget Bowman, says voters are taking a closer look at bigger picture issues like the state of democracy, an issue where Democrats may have gained votes.
“Maybe voters were taking a more nuanced view than we thought — that they weren’t just looking at abortion or inflation," Bowman said. "Yes, they were concerned about the economy. Yes, they were concerned about inflation. But voters weren’t seeing a better alternative in the Republican Party.”
Despite the increased attention toward the issue of democracy, Murray says the Trump factor is here to stay.
“If the past is any indication at all, they’re not going to dump him,” Murray says, “Donald Trump creates the route to reality that he wants to create. … But as we transition to 2024, the kind of question that I have is, which Republican is going to actually have the guts to litigate Donald Trump?”
Listen to more of the Political Unit’s Election Night breakdown on the Chuck Toddcast.