(Joshua Paladino, Headline USA) Most Americans said crime is a major issue for the upcoming election, a factor that will hurt defund-the-police Democrats and help Republicans, who want strong police and citizens who can defend themselves.
In response to a Politico/Morning Consult poll, 77 percent of Americans called violent crime a significant problem, and about the same number said violent crime has increased in recent years, Breitbart reported.
Almost 9 in 10 respondents stated that violence and crime have increased or stayed the same under President Joe Biden. About 1 in 10 people said the nation has gotten safer.
In a segment from Tuesday, CNN admitted that crime has overtaken abortion as a defining issue for the 2022 midterm elections, and that voters strongly believe that Republicans will control crime better than Democrats.
CNN’s Harry Enten: Americans trust Republicans on crime more than Democrats by 23 points
“The more that voters care about crime, the worse it is for Democrats” pic.twitter.com/K1J8My4Eo6
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 4, 2022
When Americans were asked how the nation should solve the violent crime wave, the two most common answers were that police departments should receive more funding and that gun laws should be more restrictive. Both answers received 37% support.
As some Democrats call to defund the police or reimagine policing, so that social workers replace cops, Republicans have switched their campaign messaging to soft-on-crime policies—like eliminating cash bail, training officers not to use force and making it easier to to sue and prosecute them.
The gun side of the crime debate bodes less well for Republicans, who want to preserve each citizen’s right to defend themselves from criminals.
Half of respondents said that crime has increased because there are “too many guns” on the streets. More than 60% said gun reform should be used to control crime.
Democrats, who know they will lose on the crime issue, hope to “reset” the debate to focus it on gun control, rather than criminals and law enforcement.
House Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has tried to separate the 2nd Amendment debate from the crime debate.
“Democrats want to disarm law-abiding Americans. Republicans want to disarm violent criminals,” he said. “Why don’t we put these criminals away? Why don’t we stand up to them?”
