There have been rumblings of late in certain political circles that enough voters, reacting negatively to the loud, constant protests on the left, will create a backlash to help save some of California’s endangered Republican congressional seats. Similar scenarios have played out in California before.
Granted it is a different California today. But a half-century ago, Ronald Reagan captured the governorship in part by running against campus protests that were anti-Vietnam war and anti-establishment. S.I. Hayakawa captured a U.S. Senate seat pulling the plug on loud protesters.
Certainly a number of voters would like to pull the plug on what one national columnist called the Code Pink Left. He was referring to what he described as “angry mobs” who scream at Senate hearings and chase politicians from restaurants.
The protesters supposedly represent the passion of the resistance against the policies and manners of the Trump administration. Indeed, Trump’s approach is uncivil itself so why would the disrupters be punished when the president, himself, is a disrupter?
It’s a fair question. Yet, there is a rising concern of the lack of civility in the modern political drama that could register at the polls. Democrats hoping to unseat Republican members of congress believe the call of the resistance and objections to the president will overcome any negative feelings toward the protests. Republicans on the the other hand think the constant protests and acts of incivility will stir Republicans to vote and bring in enough independent voters for the GOP to hold toss-up races.
It seems more probable that a backlash to the protests might score points in other parts of the country, less likely in California. However, is a razor thin race that some of the Orange County congressional races are shaping up to be, any shift in attitudes, whatever the reason, could make a difference.