ABC’s Klein Admits Biden ‘A Serious Drag’ on Dems, Frets Red Wave

As inflation, gas prices, and virtually everything else in the country spirals out of control, Biden’s polling numbers have gotten so bad that even ABC News is forced to admit that they are poised to drag the entire Democrat Party down to a landslide defeat in November. 

On ABC’s This Week, political director Rick Klein broke down the key findings from the latest ABC/Ipsos poll on Biden’s approval ratings (hint: they aren’t good).

Turning to Klein, anchor George Stephanopoulos admitted the “new polling with Ipsos gives us new insights into the headwinds Democrats are facing.”

“President Biden is a serious drag on candidates nationwide. And it’s driven by his approval rating on a range of issues” Klein revealed before adding “he is badly under water on all of the top issues including the big ones, inflation, gas prices, he’s less than 30 percent approval rating on the issues that we’re told by voters are dominating their state of mind.”

Even worse for Biden and Democrats running in 2022 is that fact that even the issues they claim to champion “like gun violence, abortion rights, issues that he [Biden] is elevating into the conversation in recent weeks, he is still significantly under water.” 

Klein revealed “the only issue that we see him above water on, 56 percent approval rating on his handling of COVID-19.” However, there’s a catch: “the problem for Democrats and Biden is that happens to be the issue that voters are telling us is the least likely to be animating their vote this fall.”

Democrats are facing worse news from the enthusiasm gap. As Klein reported, there’s a “13-point edge for Republicans in terms of people that say they’re very enthusiastic, very eager to vote this fall. You’re seeing Independent voters largely sitting out the midterms so far.” 

He added that the “enthusiasm gap is a little narrower than it was last time we polled on it two months ago. But still, those are the kind of numbers that have Democrats worried about a potential wave election.” 

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To read the relevant transcript click “expand”: 

ABC’s This Week
6/5/2022
Eastern, 9:32:13

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS – Our polling partnership with Ipsos provides new insight into the challenges facing Democrats.

RICK KLEIN – President Biden has a negative impact on all candidates. It’s all due to his low approval ratings on many issues. His approval ratings on most of the major issues, including inflation and gas prices are very low. He has a lower than 30% approval rating for issues voters believe dominate their mind. This includes issues such as gun violence, abortion rights, and other issues that he seems to be elevating in the recent weeks. 

His 56 percent approval rate on COVID-19 is the only thing that makes him stand out. Biden and Democrats have a problem because that is what voters tell us will be most likely to motivate their votes this fall. And that’s also spilling over into an enthusiasm gap that’s developing. This is evident in the Ipsos poll. Republicans hold a 13-point advantage in the percentage of those who are enthusiastic and very eager for this year’s election. You’re seeing Independent voters largely sitting out the midterms so far. This time, the enthusiasm gap seems to be a bit smaller than when we last polled it. These numbers are enough to make Democrats nervous about a wave election.