Jen Psaki on the Midterms: ‘Democrats Are Kind of Worried About Where This Is Going’

GEIST: “Speaking of that turnout, Georgia voters indeed are shattering early voting records for midterm elections. More than 1.1 million people already have cast their ballots in person. That’s over half a million more votes than at this point in the last midterm elections in 2018. So, Jen Psaki, a lot to digest there. We touched on Georgia and Pennsylvania. We heard Chuck Schumer’s assessment there to President Biden of where things stand. What’s your sense talking to your former colleagues in the White House and Democrats working on these campaigns about how they feel where the focus should be?
PSAKI: “Yeah. I mean, first of all, the hot mic will get you every time, Chuck Schumer. I’ve been there. But I think what we heard there and what you saw on the screen is similar to a lot of the conversations Democrats are having behind the scenes and a lot of people I talk to as well. People are fearful about where the momentum is going in some of these races. Yes, there are very encouraging signs like the record early vote numbers, but numbers in some of the House races are not where they should be. People are trying to get — a lot of people I talk to are worried about voters being encouraged and excited about people at the top of the ticket and maybe not excited enough to vote for the congressional candidates, and that’s a real concern. So, I think it’s a reflection of the fact that Democrats are kind of worried about where this is going right now and it’s felt worse over the last week or so. You know, we only have 11 days to go here. That’s why I think you see Barack Obama, Joe Biden, all these people out on the trail, because they’re trying to light a fire with Democrats right now.”