President Joe Biden is finally going pedal to the metal after over a year of idling in moderation. 

This past summer, Biden picked up multiple policy wins, including the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act, the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years, and the cancellation of $10,000 for select borrowers in student loan debt. 

Along with these wins comes a new persona and attitude that turns away from Biden’s image of gentle, warm grandpa in favor of a stone-cold politician hell-bent on winning.

His new, unstoppable pursuit of policy success has earned him the nickname dark Brandon, lovingly given to him by the internet. 

While it may seem unserious and lighthearted, dark Brandon is what Democrats need to save their chances at keeping Congress in November’s midterm elections.

High inflation and rising gas prices contributed to Biden’s dismal poll numbers, but the recent slate of victories is reflected by the new poll numbers.

According to FiveThirtyEight, Biden’s approval rating fell from 53 percent at the time of his inauguration to 37.5 percent this past July. Since July, it has bounced back up to 42.8 percent.

Biden paired recent legislative progress with a fiery new attitude. After many Republican politicians expressed their disdain for Biden’s new student loan debt cancellation policy, the White House Twitter account posted a lengthy thread calling out specific Republican politicians who had Paycheck Protection Program loans forgiven, citing the exact amount that was forgiven for each person and highlighting their hypocrisy.

Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it, and that is a lesson that bears repeating repeatedly for the Democratic Party.

The 1994 midterm elections saw sweeping Republican success. Led by Newt Gingrich and founded on the GOP’s platform of tax reform and welfare reform, Republicans picked up eight Senate seats and 54 seats in the House of Representatives, flipping both chambers. 

Thanks to strong policy and clear messaging, the Republicans dominated the next few years of American politics. 

In the 2010 midterm elections, it was not the strength of the opponent, rather the weakness of their own party that cost the Democrats. Democrats held a strong majority in both chambers, but a slow recovery from the financial crisis of 2008 and a flimsy health care policy cost the party six Senate seats and 63 seats in the House.

In 2016, the Democrat National Committee nominated a long-tenured, experienced, and qualified candidate in Hillary Clinton against Former President Donald Trump. While Clinton was calm, knowledgeable, and calculated, he was a loose cannon, but his disregard of the traditional rhetoric of American politics allowed him to resonate with working-class voters. 

While she won the popular vote, Trump won the election despite the odds overwhelmingly favoring Clinton.

Whether the Democratic National Committee wants to admit it or not, populism wins, and it is the key to Democratic victories this November.

It is long past time that Biden goes on the offensive rhetorically and politically. History and polling data prove beyond doubt that if the Democrats want a chance this November and in 2024 at maintaining control of Congress and the presidency, he must stay on the offensive. 

Columns reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board, The Daily Iowan, or other organizations in which the author may be involved.