Crime Discussion in the Democratic Party
Yeemisi Egbeworle, a former press advisor in the Biden administration, urged Democrats on Tuesday to prioritize discussions about crime, especially as Donald Trump has intensified his focus on this issue.
In a recent meeting of the Democratic National Committee, Insha Rahman from Vera Action commented that discussions about immigration crime and carjacking aren’t really significant to most Americans. However, Egbeworle disagreed, stressing that crime is indeed a crucial concern for voters and will influence their decisions in upcoming elections.
“We were struggling to effectively address crime during the Biden era,” Egbeworle remarked. “A lot of that comes from a lack of action. I did oppose the viewpoint expressed at that meeting.”
According to CNN’s chief data analyst Harry Enten, as of August 14, Trump holds a slim approval rating regarding crime at +1 points—27 points higher than Biden’s approval rating for 2024.
“Many Democrats in strongly blue cities might wish to gloss over this issue, but there are folks throughout the country focusing on it as we get closer to 2026,” Egbeworle added. “We’re also facing funding challenges, with the Republican National Committee receiving $84 million compared to our $13 million. What does that reflect? It indicates voter confidence is lacking when it comes to backing our candidates. We need to address crime more actively.”
In response to rising crime, Trump deployed the National Guard on August 11, taking control of Washington, D.C. in an effort to restore law and order. Earlier in June, he had also sent the National Guard to address riots in Los Angeles, as well as intervening in actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the area.
While many Democrats have criticized Trump’s crime measures in the capital, a recent Harvard Caps/Harris poll found that 54% of registered voters believe his efforts are “justified and necessary.”
Trump recently indicated he might send the National Guard to Chicago, calling it “disturbed.” This has led to pushback from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who expressed concerns during a press conference on Monday.
Although both leaders have attempted to downplay the crime situation in Chicago, statistics show that the murder rate remains elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels, according to ABC7 Chicago.
