Impeachment backfire? Democratic anxiety soars over rampant impeachment opposition

Democratic lawmakers are becoming increasingly worried about the Republican-led anti-impeachment campaign, especially those most vulnerable to losing their seats in the upcoming election.

Politico reported over the weekend that vulnerable Democrats are "watching in horror" as Republican interests sow impeachment opposition in their home districts. The anxiety has caused many Democrats to demand increased support from their party leadership.

Specifically, the fear is that $8 million worth of ads — set to air over the Thanksgiving holiday in battleground districts with anti-impeachment messaging — will sway voters in favor of the Republican Party. By comparison, Democratic groups have spent just $2.7 million for holiday ads, just $2.1 million of which aid vulnerable lawmakers, according to Politico.

"Many of us have been expressing our concerns to leadership," one Democratic lawmaker told Politico. "Everyone knows you don't just take a shot and sit there. It's like someone taped our arms to our side and punched us in the face."

Democrats have good reason to feel pressure. After weeks of closed-door impeachment hearings and two weeks of public hearings, polling shows that Americans — and most importantly, independent voters who hold the power to sway an election — oppose the impeachment of President Donald Trump.

Indeed, it is becoming increasingly clear that Democrats made a miscalculation in pursuing impeachment, one that could badly backfire.

In fact, Democrats are so concerned about the political implications of impeachment that many are now getting "cold feet."

Now, there are even whisperings that Democrats will not hold a formal vote to impeach the president given that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has yet to schedule such a vote, The Hill reported.

Even if the House holds a formal vote and impeaches Trump, the president will likely not be removed from office because Republicans control the Senate, leading many to wonder if the impeachment proceedings are merely a hollow exercise meant to block Trump's re-election.