For Democrats, it’s the best of times and the worst of times

Last week should have been the best of times for the Democratic Party. Unfortunately, it was also the worst of times. 

Last Monday, a New York Times poll came out showing Democrats with a 10-point lead in the generic congressional ballot. If that poll is accurate — a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed a closer 4-point race — that would suggest Democrats have a very real chance of winning both the House and Senate.

To that end, polls for individual Senate races indicate a clear path for Democrats to win in Maine and North Carolina, with potential wins in Texas, Alaska and Ohio. Even Iowa is being mentioned as a potential Democratic flip. Likewise, despite redistricting, enough competitive House seats exist for Democrats to retake the lower chamber. 

And yet a number of setbacks also blunted would-be Democratic momentum last week, further reminding Democrats that they have a long way to go. 

According to the above New York Times survey, just 25 percent of Americans are “satisfied” with the Democratic Party, versus 70 percent who are “dissatisfied.” Compared to the 33 percent of Americans being satisfied with Republicans, that should be a warning sign for Democrats. In that same vein, both parties’ approval ratings are deeply underwater (minus-19 points for Democrats, minus-17 for Republicans) according to RealClearPolitics. 

Taken together, these metrics suggest that despite their optimism, Democrats remain on par with or worse than Republicans in key areas. At the same time, President Trump demonstrated that he remains a potent force with Republican voters, especially in bringing them to the polls. 

In Kentucky, Trump helped engineer the defeat of 14-year Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) in a primary with more than double the........

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