An immigrant Muslim socialist. A moderate former CIA wine mom. A moderate former Navy wine mom. A new House map in California. What can Democrats learn from their latest election wins?
A huge part of that socialist mayor’s platform was to reduce red tape and costs in order allow small businesses to open and thrive. That part of his housing plan included reducing the barriers to building new housing units. That’s the small town game Democrats should be playing. As you said. Opportunity.
Yes! Dems pragmatic not ideological, competent not crackpot, positive not antagonistic. Talking to people does some good. Shunning people doesn’t help.
You’re just so good at summarizing what is evident, but not clear. “Conservatism is not about fairness; it has long been about preserving entitlements for men, conservative Christians, and white people, and when that is made obvious, conservatives tend to lose.” I think this point is vital because it contradicts our cultural ethos and is largely obfuscated in political doublespeak from the right.
The loud message in this election seems to be that people don’t want to eat what this administration is serving.
"But wherever they sit on policy, voters are going to want them to stand up against Trump and Trumpism — to not chase Trump voters by emulating Trump, but to win over Trump voters by showing just how badly Trump misled them, how much he’s damaging the nation, and how strongly they will fight back."
This, thank you...have to be an actual opposition to him, not chasing after his people with trying to cater to them alone: I'm telling you *at least* 46% of this country will vote for Trump, Vance, or any Republican next to the name in 2028, too, this many people do are sadly imho all in on fascism to stop Democrats in the current state even IF they don't necessarily fully agree with the fascism given what we've seen since 2016 to date (I know Trump's approval is as always stuck at the base 42-43% again if you look at averages not the cherrypicked suit the narratives ones in upper 30s or mid-high 40s respectively put out by partisans-- that unfortunately doesn't mean a small portion of those who disapprove of him don't hate Dems more though).
That said, a clear majority in 54% of this country don't always approve of Trump, and 43% also hate him no matter what in reverse, so there's that but unifying that is a lot harder said than done against him. It was only done once in 2020, to date, and it was 51.3% of the country at that when he gained 0.7% support from 16 to 20 in turn nationally even in defeat.
Although I'd argue quite frankly a lot of it was this in 2025 is unfortunately, state partisanship in all 3 cases: states that are solid Blue, will vote Bluer in a Trump Presidency in 2025 more so than in a Biden one to state the quite obvious here.
Why would they vote against party when there's an unpopular Republican President in office vs an unpopular Democratic President, and all three states voted against Trump when 31 (31!) voted for him in 2024 and for Harris? Common sense.
CA is another "you put up a stick with a (D) next to the name, and it'd vote Blue over a Rep" state electorally, Prop 50 passing is expected as CA despises TX as much as TX despises CA politically, but means little for *now* because the GOP has now redistricted more than Dems in the House so they could net gain seats is their wager if only a mild Dem year like this (D+3, matched polls perfectly) is still the case next year. Other states have to do so too, period, besides only VA and MD even contemplating it- it is full on trench warfare Dems are NOT matching equally in redistricting wars overall, right now, like IN, MO, and OH are already doing so with FL to come soon.
VA, NJ, and NYC are as partisan Democratic as TX, FL, OH, and IA are partisan Republican at present, for an analogy- you could field ME in the former if I won a primary hypothetically in the former three if I sought office there (which is the actual hard part for a candidate, I'm just doing this for analogy's sake- I wouldn't, but I'm just trying to explain it), and *I'd* win, it's no surprise.
I'm not claiming that's the only reason, but it's a large part of it, that should not go unnoted here. Though there is some hope beyond partisan Dem states voting Dem, in 2025, the PA state SC court majority was held 5-2 (held, not flipped, that said) and some low level GA races for Commissioner flipped. On the reverse side, though, NH Mayor flipped Red + Manchester etc stayed Red...which is shocking in a year about Trump's governance, big yikes there imo, and a state won by Harris comfortably in 2024.
The real question I have now and what worries me frankly is how bad is Trump going to get on voter suppression efforts and intimidation soon, because I expect them to "bigly" intensify between now and 26, and we'll see if the GOP is forced into breaking the filibuster to do what he wants on voter ID, ending mail in ballots, voter reform, etc. etc (if they'll protect a pedophile, Jill...then I can't rule this out period, unfortunately, Thune can say one thing but I'm wary and skeptical he + others won't cave in the end). They have a trifecta, and I expect them to use it in ways Dems never did in Biden's Presidency, as it's a cult + the cult leader being disobeyed is fatal for any GOP officeholders today as you've seen with Sen. Tillis (NC) on his way out soon.
Expecting massive gaslighting on "easier to vote, harder to cheat" from Mike Johnson with "Voter ID laws," "illegals/criminal illegals voting," among mail in ballots outright eroded or the ability to do so in Red and Purple states-- Trump will give up his insanity in states that have always hated him as well, now, he for some reason thought he'd in anyway have any good effect on Republicans (why, I don't know, I'm glad he overstepped his limits in NJ and NYC in particular because that absolutely helped Sherill as well as Mamdani- did he not get 24 was not about him but a rebuke of the last administration to the country, oops, in 25 and he still lost both to Harris in a 5 point more nationally Republican climate than today). He's going to get much more clever and wiser between now and next year, so to actually beat him then, can't rely on "He's not Trump/she's not Trump" alone-- especially in states that won't vote Blue if you put up roadkill against him like VA, NJ, and NY/NYC, because that's not what's competitive or swingy overall in midterms.
^Dems better be preparing with International voting monitors from the UN, etc. etc. I expect ICE out there in force unlike now by then, they already tested waters for it in CA with Prop 50 but very mild intimidation vs the aggressive one I expect from both them and police/law enforcement soon.^
I agree with what you wrote. What about conservative states, though? You mention liberal cities and swing states but can't we have an actual national party that leads all Americans? How long has it been since we've had one?
The Democrats don't need to change their policies or move further to the right.
I feel like what needs to change is their messaging. Their policies are good, and most Americans support them. However, they way they promote their beliefs is more than a little obnoxious. It comes off as moral grandstanding, and it turns people away.
Liberals have a lot of faults. They make mistakes, and some of their policies don't work out so well.
However, at its core liberalism is about building a better future. Their policies are all about tolerance, diversity, and fairness. Liberals try to help disadvantaged people. The same can not be said about conservatives.
People often criticize liberals for how they behave. And it's true that liberals aren't perfect. Some of them are very self-righteous and judgemental. However, in my opinion Republicans are much worse.
There is a particular type of Republican that I absolutely cannot stand. And that would be the wealthy, extraordinarily arrogant, and unbelievably selfish MAGA douchebags. These people only vote Republican because they want tax cuts. They don't care if the GOP plunges our country into debt or dismantles social programs. They don't give a shit about other people. All they care about is themselves and their money.
A huge part of that socialist mayor’s platform was to reduce red tape and costs in order allow small businesses to open and thrive. That part of his housing plan included reducing the barriers to building new housing units. That’s the small town game Democrats should be playing. As you said. Opportunity.
Yes! Dems pragmatic not ideological, competent not crackpot, positive not antagonistic. Talking to people does some good. Shunning people doesn’t help.
You’re just so good at summarizing what is evident, but not clear. “Conservatism is not about fairness; it has long been about preserving entitlements for men, conservative Christians, and white people, and when that is made obvious, conservatives tend to lose.” I think this point is vital because it contradicts our cultural ethos and is largely obfuscated in political doublespeak from the right.
The loud message in this election seems to be that people don’t want to eat what this administration is serving.
"But wherever they sit on policy, voters are going to want them to stand up against Trump and Trumpism — to not chase Trump voters by emulating Trump, but to win over Trump voters by showing just how badly Trump misled them, how much he’s damaging the nation, and how strongly they will fight back."
This, thank you...have to be an actual opposition to him, not chasing after his people with trying to cater to them alone: I'm telling you *at least* 46% of this country will vote for Trump, Vance, or any Republican next to the name in 2028, too, this many people do are sadly imho all in on fascism to stop Democrats in the current state even IF they don't necessarily fully agree with the fascism given what we've seen since 2016 to date (I know Trump's approval is as always stuck at the base 42-43% again if you look at averages not the cherrypicked suit the narratives ones in upper 30s or mid-high 40s respectively put out by partisans-- that unfortunately doesn't mean a small portion of those who disapprove of him don't hate Dems more though).
That said, a clear majority in 54% of this country don't always approve of Trump, and 43% also hate him no matter what in reverse, so there's that but unifying that is a lot harder said than done against him. It was only done once in 2020, to date, and it was 51.3% of the country at that when he gained 0.7% support from 16 to 20 in turn nationally even in defeat.
Although I'd argue quite frankly a lot of it was this in 2025 is unfortunately, state partisanship in all 3 cases: states that are solid Blue, will vote Bluer in a Trump Presidency in 2025 more so than in a Biden one to state the quite obvious here.
Why would they vote against party when there's an unpopular Republican President in office vs an unpopular Democratic President, and all three states voted against Trump when 31 (31!) voted for him in 2024 and for Harris? Common sense.
CA is another "you put up a stick with a (D) next to the name, and it'd vote Blue over a Rep" state electorally, Prop 50 passing is expected as CA despises TX as much as TX despises CA politically, but means little for *now* because the GOP has now redistricted more than Dems in the House so they could net gain seats is their wager if only a mild Dem year like this (D+3, matched polls perfectly) is still the case next year. Other states have to do so too, period, besides only VA and MD even contemplating it- it is full on trench warfare Dems are NOT matching equally in redistricting wars overall, right now, like IN, MO, and OH are already doing so with FL to come soon.
VA, NJ, and NYC are as partisan Democratic as TX, FL, OH, and IA are partisan Republican at present, for an analogy- you could field ME in the former if I won a primary hypothetically in the former three if I sought office there (which is the actual hard part for a candidate, I'm just doing this for analogy's sake- I wouldn't, but I'm just trying to explain it), and *I'd* win, it's no surprise.
I'm not claiming that's the only reason, but it's a large part of it, that should not go unnoted here. Though there is some hope beyond partisan Dem states voting Dem, in 2025, the PA state SC court majority was held 5-2 (held, not flipped, that said) and some low level GA races for Commissioner flipped. On the reverse side, though, NH Mayor flipped Red + Manchester etc stayed Red...which is shocking in a year about Trump's governance, big yikes there imo, and a state won by Harris comfortably in 2024.
The real question I have now and what worries me frankly is how bad is Trump going to get on voter suppression efforts and intimidation soon, because I expect them to "bigly" intensify between now and 26, and we'll see if the GOP is forced into breaking the filibuster to do what he wants on voter ID, ending mail in ballots, voter reform, etc. etc (if they'll protect a pedophile, Jill...then I can't rule this out period, unfortunately, Thune can say one thing but I'm wary and skeptical he + others won't cave in the end). They have a trifecta, and I expect them to use it in ways Dems never did in Biden's Presidency, as it's a cult + the cult leader being disobeyed is fatal for any GOP officeholders today as you've seen with Sen. Tillis (NC) on his way out soon.
Expecting massive gaslighting on "easier to vote, harder to cheat" from Mike Johnson with "Voter ID laws," "illegals/criminal illegals voting," among mail in ballots outright eroded or the ability to do so in Red and Purple states-- Trump will give up his insanity in states that have always hated him as well, now, he for some reason thought he'd in anyway have any good effect on Republicans (why, I don't know, I'm glad he overstepped his limits in NJ and NYC in particular because that absolutely helped Sherill as well as Mamdani- did he not get 24 was not about him but a rebuke of the last administration to the country, oops, in 25 and he still lost both to Harris in a 5 point more nationally Republican climate than today). He's going to get much more clever and wiser between now and next year, so to actually beat him then, can't rely on "He's not Trump/she's not Trump" alone-- especially in states that won't vote Blue if you put up roadkill against him like VA, NJ, and NY/NYC, because that's not what's competitive or swingy overall in midterms.
^Dems better be preparing with International voting monitors from the UN, etc. etc. I expect ICE out there in force unlike now by then, they already tested waters for it in CA with Prop 50 but very mild intimidation vs the aggressive one I expect from both them and police/law enforcement soon.^
I agree with what you wrote. What about conservative states, though? You mention liberal cities and swing states but can't we have an actual national party that leads all Americans? How long has it been since we've had one?
The Democrats don't need to change their policies or move further to the right.
I feel like what needs to change is their messaging. Their policies are good, and most Americans support them. However, they way they promote their beliefs is more than a little obnoxious. It comes off as moral grandstanding, and it turns people away.
Liberals have a lot of faults. They make mistakes, and some of their policies don't work out so well.
However, at its core liberalism is about building a better future. Their policies are all about tolerance, diversity, and fairness. Liberals try to help disadvantaged people. The same can not be said about conservatives.
That's the key difference between the two sides.
People often criticize liberals for how they behave. And it's true that liberals aren't perfect. Some of them are very self-righteous and judgemental. However, in my opinion Republicans are much worse.
There is a particular type of Republican that I absolutely cannot stand. And that would be the wealthy, extraordinarily arrogant, and unbelievably selfish MAGA douchebags. These people only vote Republican because they want tax cuts. They don't care if the GOP plunges our country into debt or dismantles social programs. They don't give a shit about other people. All they care about is themselves and their money.
Republicans have created this weird coalition between extremely rich and extremely poor.
It's strange when you think about it. A lot of poor people would benefit from the Democrats' policies.
Our country is starting to heal