Crime is an Uncomfortable Topic for Democrats at the Midterms

Attempts to change the subject are being thwarted as lawmakers fall victim to high-profile crimes.

This stock photo images depicts ‘crime scene do not enter’ police tape which illustrates a crime scene. The image is taken around a house which suggests that the house may have been subject to a crime and is now being investigated by forensics. (photo: DPP Law)

Before he made a decision to run for Governor of New York, Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-NY) was a relative unknown outside his district.

Once Rep. Zeldin announced his candidacy, he was still an unknown.

Even more than unknown; he was at that time a Republican candidate for Governor of New York, the ultimate underdog. Running to replace current NY Governor Kathy Hochul, Lee Zeldin started his campaign with a chance of succeeding so infinitesimal as to be practically negligent.

But that was many news cycles ago.

Two years ago, most voters weren’t at all concerned about rising crime in their communities. Crime as an election issue was barely a blip in the polls back in those days. Even six months ago, though national crime statistics had gone up precipitously, serious concerns about crime still weren’t showing up in the polls.

For Democrats running for reelection in districts where crime has skyrocketed, concerns about crime are certainly showing up now.

It is perhaps these concerns about crime, more than any other issue, which has Republican challenger Lee Zeldin now within two polling points of…