Adam Schiff Admits Democrats’ 2024 Defeat Tied to Ignoring Key Economic Concerns

California Senator Adam Schiff recently acknowledged that the Democratic Party’s failure to address the cost of living crisis contributed significantly to their loss in the 2024 elections.

Speaking on ABC News’ This Week, Schiff admitted that Democrats lacked a unified message and didn’t prioritize the economic realities facing American families.

During President Joe Biden’s administration, inflation surged dramatically—peaking at 9% in June 2022, compared to just 1.4% when he took office.

Despite this sharp rise in living costs, the Biden administration often minimized concerns about inflation, focusing instead on broader economic narratives.

When asked by host Jonathan Karl about a Democratic lawmaker’s outburst during former President Donald Trump’s recent speech, Schiff agreed with fellow Democrat Sen.

John Fetterman, who had criticized the incident as a distraction. Schiff went on to say that Democrats had missed a major opportunity to hold Republicans accountable on economic issues.

“The lack of a coordinated response was a real mistake,” Schiff said. “The president [Trump] spoke for over an hour and a half and didn’t present any solutions for lowering costs. That’s where our attention should have been.”

Schiff further emphasized that economic issues such as affordable housing, childcare, and healthcare should have been central themes in the Democratic campaign.

“We lost the last election because we weren’t laser-focused on the high cost of living,” he added. “Now, Republicans are pursuing policies that, in our view, only make things harder for working Americans.”

Notably, the interview did not include specifics on how Republican-led policies were worsening the situation, nor did Schiff offer concrete alternatives.

Trump’s Rising Popularity Amid Economic Moves

Meanwhile, former President Trump has seen a noticeable rise in public approval following his recent implementation of new tariffs on imported goods. According to a recent DailyMail.com/J.L. Partners poll, Trump’s approval rating increased to 53%, up from 49% just a week earlier.

Support has grown particularly among younger voters aged 18 to 29, where his approval jumped 13 points. In addition, his favorability rose six points among Democrats and independents, with black voter support seeing a 17-point spike, according to the same survey.

Trump’s universal 10% tariff on all imports—announced as part of his economic plan—has received mixed but increasingly positive reactions.

The survey found that 36% of Americans support the tariff policy, 28% oppose it, and 36% remain undecided.

When asked more broadly about tariffs on foreign goods, 39% supported increased tariffs, 37% opposed, and 24% were unsure.

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Tariff support has also expanded in targeted sectors such as aircraft, metals, and plastics. Some foreign nations are already signaling willingness to adjust their own trade barriers in response.

Small Business Optimism Under Trump

A separate quarterly survey by RedBalloon and PublicSquare, which polled over 50,000 small business owners, indicated growing optimism about the economic outlook. The majority of respondents now expect either steady or strong growth throughout the year—marking a shift from earlier skepticism.

TaChelle Lawson, founder of FIG Strategy & Consulting and a participant in the Freedom Economy Index, gave Trump’s early performance a “solid B+” in an interview with Fox News Digital.

“He came in with a focused economic plan,” Lawson said. “He’s cutting excess spending and putting American businesses first. That’s something small business owners appreciate. If anything, the messaging could be clearer, but the direction is evident.”

As the economy remains a central issue for voters across the political spectrum, both parties appear to be recalibrating their strategies. With inflation, tariffs, and employment at the forefront, the 2024 election results have underscored the importance of clear, practical economic messaging.