In the wake of Hurricane Helene, the response from the Biden-Harris administration and the potential political impact have come under intense scrutiny.
David Axelrod, former senior adviser to President Obama, sparked controversy[1] with comments made during a recent episode of his Hacks on Tap podcast, where he predicted that liberal voters in North Carolina would likely be able to navigate the challenges caused by the storm and make it to the polls, while suggesting that rural, Trump-supporting communities might struggle more in the aftermath.
Oct 4, 2024; Pensacola, NC, USA; An American flag is draped over a railing surrounded by debris during the aftermath of flooding caused by the remnants of Hurricane Helene. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Fish-USA TODAY
Axelrod noted that Asheville, a predominantly liberal area in western North Carolina, is more likely to “figure out a way to vote” despite the devastation.
Road signs mark the Interstate 40 on-ramps to Knoxville and Asheville in Hartford, Tenn., on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. Exit 447 at Hartford is currently part of the closed portion of Interstate 40.
He contrasted this with rural conservative voters in the storm-damaged areas of western North Carolina, stating that they might not be as resourceful in finding ways to vote after their homes and lives were severely impacted by the hurricane.
“I’m not sure a bunch of these folks who’ve had their homes and lives destroyed elsewhere in western North Carolina are going to be as easy to wrangle for the Trump campaign,” Axelrod said.
Hurricane Helene has devastated parts of North Carolina, with catastrophic flooding cutting off access to many communities.
More than 70 people have been confirmed dead in the state, and hundreds remain unaccounted for as power and communication lines remain down. Across the six states most affected by the storm—Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee—the death toll stands at 170, with rescue efforts ongoing.
Prominent conservative figures on social media reacted with outrage to Axelrod’s remarks. Fox News contributor Tammy Bruce criticized Axelrod’s statements, asking, “Did ya know that famous Democrat operative David Axelrod figures city Democrats are smarter and more resourceful and will figure out how to vote whereas the dumb Trump deplorables up in the mountains of NC who just lost everything, won’t?”
Did ya know that famous Democrat operative David Axelrod figures city Democrats are smarter and more resourceful and will figure out how to vote whereas the dumb Trump deplorables up in the mountains of NC who just lost everything, won’t. Was he on the verge of a Kamala cackle? https://t.co/Kir40S1Upg[4]
OutKick.com founder Clay Travis also condemned Axelrod’s assessment, suggesting that it reflects a broader strategy by Democrats to benefit from the disaster. “This is why Kamala and Biden aren’t helping, they benefit from the disaster,” Travis wrote on X.
On his podcast @davidaxelrod[6] says Democrat voters in Asheville, North Carolina are smarter, wealthier and will still show up to vote for Kamala while he thinks Trump voters won’t. This is why Kamala and Biden aren’t helping, they benefit from the disaster: pic.twitter.com/CqCAY0An74[7]
Meanwhile, the Biden-Harris administration has been criticized for what many see as a sluggish response to the hurricane.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has admitted that it is running low on funds, partly due to resources being diverted to assist illegal migrants.
To compound frustrations, the administration recently announced $157 million in humanitarian aid to Lebanon, a move that has drawn ire from critics who argue that those funds should be directed toward aiding American citizens in storm-ravaged areas.
— The Right To Bear Memes (@grandoldmemes) October 5, 2024[13]
TownHall reported[14] on the growing anger, noting that the disaster struck heavily Republican areas of Georgia and North Carolina, both of which are key battleground states in the upcoming election.
West side of the state is R +13. If they can’t vote, it could flip the state. This lack of response seems deliberate. pic.twitter.com/rQefp2xXMq[15]
Research has shown that major disasters can influence voter turnout, and with polling showing a tight race between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, the effects of Helene on these crucial states could be significant.
Trump won 61 percent of the vote in the North Carolina counties that have been declared disaster areas following the storm and 54 percent of the vote in Georgia’s affected counties in the 2020 election.
Both Trump and Harris visited Georgia earlier this week, where Trump leads Harris by just one percentage point in current polling, well within the margin of error.
Amid the slow recovery effort, some conservatives are raising questions about the administration’s priorities.
Critics argue that the sluggish response may be part of a broader political calculation.
I just received some information from the inside that makes this even worse. I will be sharing sometime this weekend or Monday on air. I want to double check but @elonmusk[17] IS RIGHT. It is what the State Dept. did to me in Afghanistan. They blocked our planes from taking… https://t.co/5pwh3elw1c[18]
With many of the storm-ravaged areas being Republican strongholds, delays in relief efforts could suppress turnout in critical swing states.
As both North Carolina and Georgia work to rebuild and help displaced residents, the political impact of Hurricane Helene remains to be seen.
However, the controversy surrounding the administration’s response, combined with Axelrod’s remarks, has only added fuel to an already charged political atmosphere.
