Fox News White House Correspondent Peter Doocy asked President Joe Biden on the White House lawn Friday about the significance of the crime surge in U.S. cities ahead of the midterm elections.
“Mr. President, ahead of these midterms, how big of an issue is crime?” Doocy asked.
“I think it’s real important and I think we have a great record on it,” Biden told Doocy.
Crime has become an entrenched issue among likely midterm voters as major U.S. cities have seen an uptick in violent crime and burglaries in the past year. A Harvard CAPS-Harris poll found that 68% of voters consider crime to be a “very important” issue, while 26% consider it to be “somewhat important.” The poll surveyed 2,010 voters between October 12-13.
Republicans have largely centered their campaigns around the issue of crime by framing Democrats as being “soft-on-crime.” Biden has received low approval ratings on the issue of crime. A recent Monmouth University Polling Institute poll found that only 32% of those surveyed hold a favorable view of the president’s handling of the issue. The survey polled 806 adults eligible to vote and had a margin of error of 3.5%. (RELATED: Scarborough Tears Into Left-Wing DAs For Ignoring Crime Spike)
Democrats have narrowed their campaign messaging around abortion following the overturn of Roe v. Wade, though abortion has trailed inflation and crime in the category of key issues to voters.
Crime emerged as a key issue following a 3% rise in overall shootings and 7% surge in violent crime in Philadelphia, with a total of 433 total homicide victims as of Oct. 20, according to the Philadelphia Police Department. Other major cities, including Denver, Colorado, are also on track to have record-breaking crime statistics.
In New York City, the overall crime rate increased just over 15% in September 2022 from the same month the previous year, the New York Police Department reported. Public transportation crimes in the city rose by 57% this year alone, according to Fox 5.
A recent Harvard-Harris poll found that 64% of voters, including 60% of Independent voters and 52% of Democrats, blame the crime spike on “woke politicians.” The poll surveyed 2,010 registered voters online on Oct. 12 and 13.