Residents of blue cities, like San Francisco and Seattle, have apparently begun to push back against progressive policies as crime rates soar, signaling a possible new direction ahead of the 2024 elections.
Seattle residents, a notably progressive city, seem to have had a change of heart after advocating for issues like “defund the police” and easing drug laws following the death of George Floyd in 2020. After a recent city council election, a wave of moderates are set to be moving in, according to Fox28 Savannah. (RELATED: Surging Crime Rates Trigger Scarborough Tirade, Leave Mika Brzezinski Shaking Her Head)
Only three of the nine council members who advocated for the “defund the police” movement will be rejoining the council. However, it comes as no surprise after a survey conducted by EMC Research found that out of the 500 potential voters, 79% stated that they were not confident in the city’s approach to public safety, KOMO News reporter Chris Daniels stated.
The @SeattleChamber and @downtownseattle hired EMC Research to poll 500 likely voters across the city in January of this year.
The poll also suggested 4 in 5 Seattleites, are *not* confident in the @SeattleCouncil‘s approach to public safety. @komonews pic.twitter.com/XXGMtAIuWx
— Chris Daniels (@ChrisDaniels_TV) March 8, 2023
“We want to see a relationship with our Seattle Police Department, in a positive form, creating that trust,” newly elected councilwoman Joy Hollingsworth stated after flipping a socialist seat, according to King5. “We’re going to be looking forward to standing up to the CARE Team and seeing what resources they need to be that alternative response.”
Additionally, San Francisco, another known progressive city, has residents seeking more moderate lawmakers to solve their high crime rates. Progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin was ousted last year in a recall after voters became fed up with out-of-control homelessness and rising crime. Boudin was later replaced by a more moderate democrat, Brooke Jenkins, a former assistant district attorney who had worked for the progressive DA but reportedly later flipped on him. (RELATED: Some Blue States Aim To Bolster Sagging Police Numbers By Hiring Non-Citizens)
Businesses have been fleeing San Francisco as residents have witnessed a significant increase in crime rates in 2023. Homicides jumped up 10%, robberies went up 14.7%, and motor theft vehicles increased by 5.4%, according to data from the city’s police department. While policies have been lax on drugs and homelessness for the last few years, a 2021 poll showed that more than 75% of residents want more policing in high crime neighborhoods, according to the National Review.
People and their belongings are seen on Jones Street in San Francisco, on November 13, 2023. San Francisco has struggled to clean up the city ahead of hosting world and business leaders. (Photo by Jason Henry / AFP) (Photo by JASON HENRY/AFP via Getty Images)
The push for more policing comes after the city’s Democratic mayor, London Breed, pushed for a budget cut of $120 million from the city’s law enforcement agencies and redirected toward the black community in 2021, according to the National Review.
The Biden-Harris campaign in 2020 also notably supported re-directing funds from police, even advocating for a $300 million federal increase to “reinvigorate community policing in our country.” While President Joe Biden continuously stated throughout his campaign that he did not support defunding police, he did advocate that he was willing to redirect money from police departments to other initiatives and social programs.
“I do not support defunding police,” the then-presidential Democratic nominee wrote in a USA Today op-ed. “The better answer is to give police departments the resources they need to implement meaningful reforms, and to condition other federal dollars on completing those reforms.”
Retail theft across blue cities has also contributed significantly to discontent among residents. Large retail companies, like Target, have been affected, with many leaving certain areas in various blue cities.
A recent Gallup poll found that 63% of Americans stated that crime problems are either an extreme or a very serious concern.