Democrats are heading into the midterms with stronger energy and favorable polling, including a 9-point lead in the generic congressional ballot, but past disappointments have left party leaders cautious.

That caution reflects widespread cynicism across demographic and political groups, with many voters seeing politics as a game for wealthy insiders while everyday costs rise and their lives get harder.

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb warned Democrats that voters’ willingness to cast ballots does not mean they have renewed faith in the party; they want tangible improvements to their finances, not just hearings or impeachment proceedings.

Chris Van Hollen said some voters who supported Trump because he promised lower prices and fewer foreign wars are turning away because, in his view, Trump has reversed course on those commitments.

In Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, Elaine Luria said opposition to the Trump administration is energizing voters, and early-voting data suggests Democrats are outperforming Republicans.

Rahm Emanuel described the current mood as one of anger and bitterness, unlike the disappointment and fatigue he recalled from the 2006 midterms; he cautioned that polls may understate Republican support and urged anxious Democrats to keep organizing.

Van Hollen also urged Democrats not to trust polls or assume victory, recalling that control of Virginia’s House of Delegates in 2017 came down to a tied race decided by drawing slips of paper from a bowl.

House Democrats’ campaign chair Suzan DelBene called herself “confident and paranoid”: she expects Democrats to gain the three seats needed for a majority but worries about Trump’s efforts to interfere with election results.

Meanwhile, Democratic leaders are campaigning in competitive districts, including Hakeem Jeffries, who is working to help Rep. Shomari Figures hold his Alabama seat after Republicans targeted it following a Supreme Court ruling that weakened the Voting Rights Act.