DNC Polling Brief Urges Shift From ‘Tough on Crime’ to ‘Safety’ Message
At the Democratic National Committee’s summer meeting in Minneapolis on 25 Aug 2025, party officials were briefed on new polling conducted by Vera Action, an affiliate of the progressive Vera Institute of Justice. The research found that voters respond more favorably to candidates who say they are “serious about safety” than to those who use traditional “tough on crime” language. Presenting the data, Vera Institute vice president Insha Rahman urged delegates not to focus on topics such as migrant crime or carjackings, arguing that those issues matter less to many Americans than broader public-safety concerns. The guidance, coming from an organization long associated with efforts to reduce incarceration and reallocate police funding, immediately drew criticism from conservative commentators who accused Democrats of downplaying crime ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
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MARK SIMONE
Here's why Democrats are losing evryone - at the DNC's summer meeting, a lady from left-wing think tank the Vera Institute tells them that "crime and carjackings are things that don't matter to many Americans." https://t.co/PClC76BXF4
Erick Erickson At the DNC, delegates are being told the trans-movement is succeeding and being “strong on safety” is a better message than being “tough on crime.” These guys risk an off-year victory in midterms that absolutely destroys them for 2028. But they may just lose 2026 too.
Eric Daugherty 🚨 HOLY CRAP! A prime DNC speaker just said the American people don't care about "migrant crime" as part of their new platform. https://t.co/MMhTJ03oY0 "Don't take the bait, talking about migrant crime! The things that actually don't matter!" That 19% approval rating is STILL
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