Biden gun and police policies threaten Democrats' 2022 midterm prospects

With violent crime on the rise in cities across the country, President Biden is attempting another high-wire act with a renewed push for gun control measures that could embolden his critics on both the right and the far left ahead of the critical 2022 midterm elections.

The president also risks alienating progressives wary that his tactics will undercut their push for law enforcement reform, deepening party divisions at a time when Democratic control of Congress is in jeopardy. While many progressive Democrats have called for sweeping budget cuts for police, Biden’s plan encourages cities to use COVID-19 relief funds to hire more officers, among other measures. The politically fraught climate ahead of an expected spike in crime this summer creates a "major vulnerability" for Biden and Democrats in general heading into the 2022 midterms, according to Whit Ayers, a prominent Republican political consultant and founder of North Star Opinion Research.