By 28 points, independents disapprove of Dem Kavanaugh tactics

Independents may make a difference if they break decidedly for one side or the other.

October 9, 2018
By Rick Moran

Independent voters are expressing overwhelming disapproval of the way that Democrats handled the Kavanaugh confirmation fight. A CNN poll shows that only 30% of independents approved of the way Democrats handled the Kavanaugh confirmation, while 58% disapproved.

The GOP didn't fare much better with, 55% to 35% disapprove versus approve.
Washington Examiner:
What's interesting, however, is even though Democrats on the surface would seem to have public opinion on their side, just 36 percent approved of how they handled the nomination, compared to 56 percent who disapproved. (Republicans were at 55 percent disapproval and 35 percent approval). A further breakdown finds that 58 percent of independents disapproved of the way the Democrats handled the nomination – compared to 30 percent who approved. (Independents also disapproved of Republicans handling of the matter, but by a narrower 53 percent to 32 percent margin).
Many people have strong opinions on the way the Kavanaugh nomination will play out in November and who [sic] it will benefit. The conventional wisdom is that it will help Democrats in the House, where there are a number of vulnerable Republicans in suburban districts where losses among educated women could be devastating, and that it will help Republicans in the Senate, where the tossup races are in red states where Trump and Kavanaugh are more popular.
That said, it's clear that the nomination energized both sides, and that the tactics pursued by the parties turned off independent voters in a way that makes it much harder to predict how this will end up affecting election outcomes.
It should be noted that a lower percentage of independents turn out for midterm elections than turn out for presidential contests. But in what promises to be many tight races, especially in the House, independents may make a difference if they break decidedly for one side or the other.
The Democrats' calls for "in your face" opposition to Kavanaugh and the resulting threats, intimidation, and pure ugliness that resulted are far more worrisome to the public than Republican support for Kavanaugh that included trashing his accusers. There are indications that GOP pushback against Professor Ford and the other accusers resulted in Republican women rallying around "their men," who they believe are under duress from the hysterics in the #MeToo movement.
Could GOP women save the House for Republicans? It's hard to gauge if those protective feelings translate into voter enthusiasm, but Democrats are assuming that women are enraged at the GOP for supporting Kavanaugh. It could be that more women than is generally thought rejected the tactics and rhetoric of the #MeToo movement, even though they probably sympathize with that movement in a general way. But the left's over-the-top smears of Kavanaugh and anyone who supported him may have created a female backlash of sorts that could play a decisive role in the coming midterm elections.


https://www.americanthinker.com/blog...h_tactics.html