Senior Democrats, including some of President Biden’s aides, are increasingly dubious about his theory for victory in November, which relies on voter concerns about Jan. 6, political violence, democracy and Donald Trump’s character.
Why it matters: Biden’s core inner circle hasn’t lost faith in that approach, the product of Biden and his longtime aide, Mike Donilon.
- But that puts them on an island within much of the party about what will decide the election, as polls consistently have shown Biden tied or behind even after a slight bump following Trump’s criminal conviction.
- Several polls have indicated voters are deeply concerned about democracy but they are most worried about inflation and the economy. They’ve also shown Biden’s support slipping among key Democratic voting groups: Blacks, Latinos, young adults and union members, but the Democracy message is resonating with older voters.
- Biden’s former chief of staff Ron Klain, who has known Donilon for decades, told Axios his view is: “In Mike I trust.”
What they’re saying: A Democratic strategist in touch with the campaign told Axios: “It is unclear to many of us watching from the outside whether the president and his core team realize how dire the situation is right now, and whether they even have a plan to fix it. That is scary.”
- People close to the president told Axios they worry about raising concerns in meetings because Biden’s group of longtime loyal aides can exile dissenters.
- “Even for those close to the center, there is a hesitance to raise skepticism or doubt about the current path, for fear of being viewed as disloyal,” a person in Biden’s orbit told Axios, speaking on condition of anonymity because of those dynamics.
- “There is not a discussion that a change of course is needed.”
