Democrats shift toward economic attacks, with abortion leaving some unmoved
Recently, the 36-year-old 911 dispatcher saw a new Democratic attack — this one portraying Larkin as “extreme” and a threat to Medicare and Social Security. It caught his attention, but he didn’t believe it. “I think it’s just white noise at this point,” he said of campaign ads.
Larkin is running against Democratic Rep. Kim Schrier, who bills herself as “the only pro-choice woman doctor in Congress.” Her pitch for reelection has involved far more than advocating abortion access, with ads throughout the fall promoting her work to get funding for law enforcement, reduce“I don’t think there’s a top issue,” she said in a recent interview at a coffee shop, going on to list cost of living, crime and abortion, in that order.
The shift in the Democratic attacks comes as the economy remains Americans’ top concern and as Democrats look for ways to counter GOP arguments on the issue. Republicans have regularly blamed Democrats for the sharp rise in prices on their watch. For their part, Republicans have increasingly poured money into ads on crime, the AdImpact data shows. Even as many GOP campaigns have been running on the issue for months, the party has more fully saturated the airwaves in the final stretch: Nationwide, the weekly share of GOP ads mentioning crime hit 34 percent the week of Oct. 25 — the highest tally of the entire election cycle, except for a period in March.
Outside Republican groups are still hammering Schrier on economic issues, but Larkin’s newest campaign ad marks their first foray into crime, according to AdImpact. The spot shows fiery streets and tent encampments while denouncing “criminals free in our communities.
Voters in the 8th District interviewed by The Post were often aware of Larkin’s comments on abortion, and the issue was a dealbreaker for some otherwise critical of Democrats and eager for change. Patti Brekke, who voted for both Barack Obama and Donald Trump, lamented high gas prices and said she aligns with the GOP on many issues. As for the congressional race, however: “Definitely not Matt Larkin,” which leaves Schrier.