Double Whammy: Mayorkas Blasted by Hurricane and Angry Voters
October 10, 2024Key Takeaways
- Americans are furious with leadership failures, exemplified by Mayorkas's perceived incompetence and insensitivity.
- Voters criticize the misallocation of FEMA resources, accusing the government of ignoring the immediate needs of disaster-stricken communities.
- Voters feel betrayal and abandonment, emphasizing their growing distrust in government accountability and transparency.
Our Methodology
Demographics
All Voters
Sample Size
3,800
Geographical Breakdown
National
Time Period
1 Day
MIG Reports leverages EyesOver technology, employing Advanced AI for precise analysis. This ensures unparalleled precision, setting a new standard. Find out more about the unique data pull for this article.
American reactions to the federal government’s disaster response after Hurricane Helene continues to be sharply negative. Now, with Hurricane Milton destruction, opinions of VP Harris and DHS Secretary Mayorkas are overwhelmingly negative. Voters distaste for their leadership, disaster preparedness, and resource allocation.
Many are criticizing Mayorkas for his unwillingness to respond to criticisms that he was attending an award ceremony while natural disasters were ongoing for citizens.
Mayorkas put on the spot đź’Ą
— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) October 9, 2024
CNN host: As Hurricane Helene was making landfall, Biden was at the beach, Kamala was flying between ritzy California fundraisers, and you were at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles. How do you respond to these allegations?pic.twitter.com/eJB1O6uNsb
There are also reports criticizing Mayorkas, Biden, and Harris for shopping, lounging on the beach, and toasting a beer on The Late Show amid serious safety threats and destruction after Helene and before Milton
This is where your President, Vice President, and DHS Secretary were as Americans were drowning from Hurricane Helene & fleeing for their lives from Hurricane Milton. pic.twitter.com/sg8nqzLnfN
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 9, 2024
What Voters are Saying
- 77% of voters voice strong negative sentiment toward leadership and their response to disaster relief.
- 90% of Republicans drive the discussion, expressing negativity about disaster response and preparedness.
- 81% express dissatisfaction with Mayorkas, often calling him incompetent.
- There is widespread frustration regarding FEMA funds and resources being directed toward illegal immigrants.
- Americans make accusations negligence and callous responses to disaster recovery efforts.
- Many also voice distrust in media reporting and election impacts for voters in disaster zones.
Political Criticism
Public sentiment about federal leadership during natural disasters is highly polarized. Discussions heavily focus on accusations that the current administration has mismanaged disaster recovery efforts. There is frustration among citizens who feel the federal response has been both inadequate and insulting.
Many directly compare the actions of the Biden administration unfavorably to those of previous leadership, particularly former President Trump, and express a desire for a change in leadership.
Mayorkas Incompetence
Americans are harsh in discussions about Secretary Mayorkas. They criticize his actions and decisions regarding FEMA and disaster relief but do not limit their criticism, also mentioning his failures on border security.
People describe Mayorkas’s leadership as "criminally incompetent," with public outcry calling for accountability by his impeachment or resignation. This criticism is exacerbated by reports that FEMA has billions in unspent disaster relief funds, despite his public claims of shortages.
This topic has resonated strongly with 80% of working-class voices, particularly those already burdened by economic hardships who feel neglected by federal aid. The language used in these discussions—terms like "betrayal" and "dishonesty"—illustrates a profound sense of abandonment by the government during times of crisis.
Mismanaged Funds and Negligence
Discussions around funding accuse FEMA of negligence and even animosity toward natural disaster victims. People criticize the federal government for its failure to help citizens, preferring to focus on “misinformation” and the comfort of FEMA workers.
Despite obstructing relief efforts, @FEMA’s Criswell says criticizing her agency is “dangerous”:
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) October 6, 2024
“It has a tremendous impact on the comfort level of our own employees … When you have this dangerous rhetoric like you’re hearing, it creates fear in our own employees” pic.twitter.com/ProJObu7fc
Funding discussions are saturated with criticism of FEMA for directing resources towards illegal immigrants at the expense of disaster preparedness. These criticisms are particularly poignant among rural residents, who feel that disaster recovery resources are disproportionately directed toward urban areas. They feel they’re being left to fend for themselves.