Rep. Addison McDowell, R-N.C., stated Wednesday that the biggest challenge for Democrats heading into the November midterm elections is not Republican redistricting efforts but a loss of trust among American voters stemming from the Biden administration.
Appearing on “Wake Up America,” McDowell said recent congressional redistricting victories for Republicans may provide an advantage in upcoming elections, yet he insisted Democrats’ credibility problems remain the dominant political issue.
“Americans don’t trust Democrats, and it has nothing to do with redistricting,” McDowell said.
The congressman made these remarks while discussing a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing Alabama to use a new congressional map that eliminates one of the state’s two majority-Black districts. Republicans have argued this ruling could improve their chances of maintaining or expanding their House majority in November.
McDowell pointed to his home state of North Carolina, where Republicans approved a new congressional map last year, but argued voter dissatisfaction with Democrats is a more significant factor than district boundaries.
“I think it gives us a serious boost,” McDowell said of the Alabama ruling. “But the real crux of the issue with the midterms is that Democrats are not trusted by the American people anymore.”
McDowell criticized Democrats for defending former President Joe Biden during his time in office despite concerns about his age and fitness.
“You had a president for four years who we could all see had the mental faculties that were slipping away,” McDowell said. “Americans don’t trust Democrats.”
He also argued that Republicans are now responding to what they view as years of Democrat-led gerrymandering.
“We finally came to the party and said, ‘Hey, we’re not going to let Democrats gerrymander our country away without putting up a fight,'” he said.
When asked about primary election results across six states, McDowell noted his focus has shifted from primaries to the general election.
“I’m not focused on primaries anymore. I’m looking toward the general election,” he stated.
McDowell further criticized several Democratic Senate candidates in competitive races — including Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, Texas Senate candidate James Talarico, and former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper.
“The Democrats have put up horrible candidates,” McDowell said. “I put our Republican candidates up against these Democrats any day of the week.”
McDowell added that Democrat candidates will ultimately have to answer for what he described as a broader loss of confidence among voters.
“The real thing they’re going to have to answer for is, we don’t trust you,” he said. “You lied to us for four years, and you’re out of touch with the American people.”
