It must be tough to be a Democrat these days. They’re in the minority in the House and the Senate, and they lost the White House in crushing fashion in November. Their approval rating has sunk below the Mariana Trench. One of their most powerful senators, Illinois’ Dick Durbin, announced Wednesday that he will not be seeking reelection. As Kamala Harris said in her most recent fundraising email, “it’s not great” for the Democratic party right now, and donations across the country have dwindled.
More: Kamala’s Latest Email Proves Things Are ‘Not Great’ for the Democrat Party These Days
After 4 Decades in Congress, Dick Durbin Finally Following Joe Biden Off Into the Sunset
There’s plenty of blame to go around: the Democrats went increasingly left in the last four years, pushing extreme gender ideology, open borders, boys playing girls’ sports, supporting deported gangbangers instead of American citizens—the list goes on.
But if there’s one poster boy for everything that’s behind the Democrats’ malaise, it’s a guy who’s not even in power anymore: former President Joe Biden. Has the “Biden Effect” poisoned the Democrat party? (Answer: yes.)
“This is fallout from the ‘Biden Effect,'” said Rutgers University political scientist Ross Baker. “It contaminated old Democrats.”
Durbin, 80, and Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., 78; Tina Smith, D-Wis., 67; and Gary Peters, D-Mich., 66, as well as Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., 83, all announced their exit in 2025.
Prior to Biden’s infamous debate, several 2024-cycle Democrats — now-former Sens. Benjamin Cardin of Maryland, 81; Tom Carper of Delaware, 78; Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, 74; and Democrat-turned-independent Joe Manchin of West Virginia, 77 — all declared their exits.
Although it’s mostly older Dems that are on that list of folks heading for the exits, RedState’s Nick Arama wrote about how younger voters aren’t impressed with the congressional Democrats either and give them a dismal 23 percent approval rating:
What group of voters do Democrats have left that they can feel secure about? Older, leftist hippies? When they age out, who will they have left?
That’s not a good look for the Democrats’ future and it couldn’t be more deserved. We previously reported on the Gallup poll showing confidence in Democrat leadership in Congress stood at a record-low 25 percent, which was nine points below the previous low of 34 percent in 2023. Democrat approval in multiple polls is at record lows.
There are many, many facets to the Biden Effect and the tainted legacy of his presidency:
Look, this is the Biden Effect. His team’s lawlessness and open borders erased huge amounts of good will toward illegals ‘just here for a better life’. Our basic kindness and generosity got us chaos. https://t.co/4wv0xD86xa
— Jay Weber (@JayWeber3) April 17, 2025
Even Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)—who has seemingly been in Congress since the Stone Age—is feeling the effects, as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has hinted at a primary challenge.
Meanwhile, there’s tension in the ranks:
A renewed push for older Democrats to pass the torch came when Democratic National Committee vice chair David Hogg launched a project to recruit and bankroll primary opponents for older Democratic incumbents.
“Today’s party politics has an unwritten rule — if you win a seat, it’s yours for life. No one serious in your party will challenge you. That is a culture that we have to break,” Hogg, 25, wrote on his political website, Leaders We Deserve.
The repercussions of Biden’s legacy will be felt for years to come, especially when it comes to the millions of illegal aliens he let in. Although Trump is trying to do something about that, it’s not going to be solved overnight.
But Ole Joe also graced the Democrats with a parting gift as well: he has left them drift, arguing with each other, and completely lacking a coherent vision. The Biden Effect appears to be real—and I have no problem with that.
Editor’s Note: The Democrat Party has never been less popular as voters reject its globalist agenda.
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