Senator Bernie Sanders and Democratic strategist James Carville are advising Democrats to focus less on abortion during the run in to elections. Democratic candidates, at all levels, have continued to make abortion a key campaign issue but Sanders and Carville have advised them to not ignore the economy. They believe abortion alone will not lead their party to victory.
Sanders wrote in the Guardian:
“But, as we enter the final weeks of the 2022 midterm elections, I am alarmed to hear the advice that many Democratic candidates are getting from establishment consultants and directors of well-funded Super Pacs that the closing argument of Democrats should focus only on abortion,”
He continued:
“I believe that if Democrats do not fight back on economic issues and present a strong pro-worker agenda, they could well be in the minority in both the House and the Senate next year,”
Sander’s believes that Republicans can be attacked on issues relating to the economy like healthcare, minimum wage, family leave, and cost of higher education. He knows his party needs the support of the working class and sees that inundating them with only abortion could drive them away.
James Carville is thinking along the same lines as Sanders. He told the AP that, “It’s a good issue. But if you just sit there and they’re pummeling you on crime and pummeling you on the cost of living, you’ve got to be more aggressive than just yelling abortion every other word.”
