In first MSNBC TV spot since hiring, Psaki says abortion, Trump are 'hugely energizing' factors for Dem voters

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In first MSNBC TV spot since being hired, Psaki says abortion and Trump are 'hugely energizing' factors for Dem voters

Former Biden White House press secretary Jen Psaki made her first appearance on MSNBC on Tuesday since being hired by the network, to comment on Democrats' supposed surging enthusiasm ahead of the midterm elections.

On Tuesday, former Biden White House press secretary Jen Psaki made her first appearance on MSNBC since being hired by the network, to comment on the supposed surging enthusiasm of Democrats ahead of the midterm elections.

Appearing on MSNBC anchor Alex Wagner’s new political talk show, "Alex Wagner Tonight," on Tuesday evening, Psaki claimed the Democratic Party has flipped from being unexcited about the upcoming elections at the beginning of the year, to now being "engaged" and wanting to "participate" in the races.

The former Biden administration official cited former President Donald Trump’s return to the spotlight as well as conservative efforts to curtail abortion as factors getting Democratic voters excited. 

Wagner addressed Psaki, saying, "I gotta ask you, how you think of these midterms right now, sitting as, you know, where we are less than sixty days out." The host added the point that the GOP’s anti-abortion stance may be an "animating factor" for Democratic voters ahead of the election. 

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MSNBC anchor Alex Wagner speaks to former White House press secretary Jen Psaki about Democratic voter enthusiasm ahead of the midterm elections. 

Citing Nate Cohn’s recent assessment in the New York Times, the anchor stated, "Usually the midterms are a check on power and yet the biggest piece of sort of powerful policy change has come as a result of the Supreme Court decision on Dobbs. And in many ways these midterms may end up being a referendum on Republican power more so than Democratic power."

"Do you see it that way?" Wagner asked Psaki. 

"Absolutely," Psaki responded. "And that is remarkable if you think about it. I mean if you look back on the NBC poll from back in January, Democrats were not that into the midterms, you know? They just weren’t that into it."

"It’s gone up by 20 percentage points almost, the excitement and enthusiasm for participating. That is largely related to Dobbs, largely related to women across the country, young women across the country, and even men being scared of a woman’s right to choose being taken away from them," Psaki explained.  

The former Biden official agreed with Wagner’s assessment that the usual midterm referendum on the current party in power has flipped, stating, "To your point, it’s largely flipped now, where people are saying the anger is among the members of the Democratic Party, which is the party in power, which is so rare for that to be case."

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Former White House press secretary Jennifer Psaki claimed that there is a lot of Democratic enthusiasm for voting in the upcoming midterms. (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

"People are enthused, they’re engaged, they wanna get out and vote, they wanna participate in the process," she continued, adding, "and many Democrats, women, independents who were not that excited, were going to be in their jammies on election night as of a few months ago, they don’t want their rights to be taken away."

"And that has been a huge factor that has changed the dynamics of the race," Psaki said, concluding her point. 

Wagner then mentioned how "multiple swirling investigations" have made Trump a "figurehead in the Republican Party and in national politics" which has an effect on Democratic enthusiasm for elections as well.

Psaki replied, "Well nothing’s more of a driving and excitement factor like Donald Trump for Democrats, right? I mean they love to be opposed to him, ‘cause they are. Um, independents, many don’t want to see another reign of Trump."

Psaki told MSNBC anchor Alex Wagner that Former President Donald Trump is a "hugely energizing" factor for the Democratic voter base.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

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She added, "The more he engages in the race, the more he puts himself out there, the more it’s a reminder of what’s at stake to people. And having Trump on the ballot is a hugely energizing factor in a lot of these races."