President Barack Obama joins a legion of fellow Democrats looking woefully on the 2014 midterm elections, telling a crowd of supporters Thursday that the party gets “clobbered” in such races.
The president made the sour remark while speaking at a fundraiser for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee at the home of former NBA star Alonzo Mourning in Miami, Fla.
“But in midterms we get clobbered — either because we don’t think it’s important or we’ve become so discouraged about what’s happening in Washington that we think it’s not worth our while,” Obama said.
The fundraiser-in-chief lamented the low voter turnout common in midterm elections and noted that in presidential elections, African-Americans, Millennials, women and Hispanics are more likely to head to the voter booth — demographics, Obama said, that the Democratic Party often wins.
“And suddenly a more representative cross-section of America gets out there and we do pretty well in presidential elections,” Obama said.
While Democratic messages often resonate with voters in major elections, many become deterred by “toxic” Washington politics in midterm years, he continued.
The president went on to say that this year’s election was a “top priority” for the Democrats, as it is vital to keeping lawmakers like Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in power. Obama emphasized the importance of Democrats winning back the House of Representatives, putting House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) back in the Speaker’s chair.
“So that’s what’s at stake. And I’m just hoping that all of you feel the same sense of urgency that I do,” Obama charged. “Like I said, I’m not on the ballot this time, but I didn’t get into politics just for the office. I got into it because I believe in what we’re fighting for. But I can’t do it alone. Nancy can’t do it alone. Debbie [Wasserman Schultz] can’t do it alone. We’re going to need you.”
Democrats’ success in the upcoming November election has hardly been given a boost of confidence by party supporters and leaders.
Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz admitted in January she wasn’t going to “confidently predict” Democrats would win back the House in 2014.
Republicans, however, believe they can retain the House and win back the Senate.
Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus said Monday he expects 2014 to be a “tsunami-type election.”
Roughly 75 people, who paid between $16,000 and $32,000, attended the DCCC fundraiser at Mourning’s home.
