This long analysis can be boiled down into a few sentences that describe the reality of the 2026 Democratic party, herewith. Democratic candidates in general elections should come across as folksy, not arrogant and condescending. They should act like they care about blue-collar people even if all their donations and their most fervent supporters in the primaries come from the far Left Wokester wing of the party. They should bob and weave when asked - if they are ever asked by partisan left-wing journalists - if it's fair for XX athletes to have to compete with XY athletes; use similar tactics when asked about any limits on abortion at any stage of gestation. Pretend to care about rising utility bills when your genuine concern is placating the green lobby. If asked about having any limits on immigration, say America is a land of immigrants, that Americans won't do many jobs that immigrants do, imply that support for any limits is racist and xenophobic.
In short, do what the new Governor of Virginia did during her recent campaign. Pose like a moderate, but once safely in office veer hard Left. Your cheerleaders in the media will still label you as moderate even when you're just a half millimeter to the Right of AOC.
Exactly right. We have an "independent" senate candidate running again (Dan Osborn lost 2 years ago) in Nebraska (the Dems aren't fielding a candidate). 90% of his fundraising is from out of state. He refuses to say which party he will be caucusing with. He refuses to answer yes or no questions. No one is falling for this phony.
Great analysis. Ultimately Dem policy is the problem. Trump has an expiration date, lousy Dem policy does not. Expanding a Dem tent steeped in policy few seem to wish to dwell under, is a pretty large hurdle. Colorado has grown consistently for decades, until bright Blue state governance became the norm. The state is now included in the top 5 US states Americans are fleeing.
The notion of a "good" Democrat after Spanberger and Sherrill might be a steeper hill to climb. A list of VA proposed tax increases under Spanberger, would shock most Americans outside CA and IL. Likewise, Sherrill's devotion to cap and trade, even as NJ residents endure some of the highest US energy prices, is unlikely to be helpful.
Sherrod Brown is 75 years old and backed Biden 100% of the time, which is why Buckeyes sent him home in the first place. Talarico is Left of AOC, while hiding behind a Minister's pulpit. He has declared Jesus to be non binary, as he supports child transitions and open borders. James also recently referred to his former opponent Collin Allred as a "mediocre Black Man". It now seems a toss up, if he beats Crockett in the primary.
Trump is undoubtedly his own worst enemy, but putting all Dem eggs in one immigration basket may not be wise. In the past month alone, an 11 year old GA girl was raped multiple times, in multiple fashions, in front of her 10 year old sister. The home invasion and rape were allegedly at the hands of a Biden migrant. Caught in CA a week later, not even CA was dumb enough to fight GA extradition of a child rapist, but it should be noted, CA would have refused to turn the attacker over to ICE, had ICE made such a request.
Last week a Biden migrant driving in a semi truck in rural IN crossed the center line and killed 4 Amish men in a van. The migrant was unable to read English, but handed a commercial Drivers license by Penn's Josh Shapiro.
Both situations have been semi regular occurrences since 2021. They simply receive little press coverage. Surely eventually, Rep political ads will tell those stories and dozens of similar tragedies, repeatedly. The ads will ask why the deaths of 2 Minnesota protesters matter, but the deaths of multitudes of Americans due to Open Borders, do not. It could be a powerful new twist on "they/them".
Virginia Democrats ran on "affordability" but are pushing 51, yes, 51 new taxes and increases to existing ones. Electric rates have doubled since they took over and they are pushing green energy policies that will drive rates even higher and make the grid less reliable. So much for affordability...
There's a list of bills attacking gun owners as long as your arm and they are removing mandatory sentencing for rapists, murderers and child molesters while restoring their voting rights after they serve their abbreviated sentences.
As word spreads about what the Democrats are doing in Virginia, you're going to have a lot less to be hopeful about.
So many articles about how to win elections. And Democrats might pull it off. There will be enough people who desperately want to believe the stirring words.
But they will not have sustainable momentum until someone is willing to do what Trump did. Actually denounce the existing policies and leaders. Then maybe people will actually believe they will go in a different direction.
But Democrats, unlike Trump, have sold their souls to the “groups” and the large donors. They will say things that sound good, but in the end they will keep doing what the groups and donors want.
Journalists love Marie Glusenkamp Perez, but a fair number of Democrats in this purple district do not. She is being primaried from the left in this top 2 primary race. At a recent ' get to know me' session hosted by one her challengers, a voter suggested that wording such as "fascists" that were playing well in the room, should be modified for messaging to the public at large. The suggestion was met with hoots of derision, as was the suggestion that a successful candidate in this district should express willingness to work with Republicans. The Republicans are running a moderate with years of experience in state politics. This should be one to watch.
I have to admit when I hear someone say fascist, I think idiot. Just like I do when Rs talk about 2020 being a stolen election, birth certificate, or other hairball ideas.
Coalition? See, that's the problem. The rest of us say "coalition" to mean disparate groups with common principles. Democrats say "coalition" when they mean a gang of groups with different payment plans.
If you're honest about what you will do, you lose elections.
If you blow sunshine at the electorate and they buy it then the voters (and those of us who didn't vote for you pay the bill.
The Democrats’ problem is that the persuadable voters they need to pick up want Trump light, which means being willing to work with Trump. Conversely the Democrats’ base wants Trump fought tooth and nail.
Excellent overview - these candidates focused on communities and their local problems sound great, but I hope that, if they win, they can translate those focused intentions into their roles in DC. I'm worried we'll be in for two years of wasted voters' time with one impeachment after another - love Trump or hate him, when the president and congress move together, at least things happen for a change. I'm tired of gridlock-as-usual and am always hoping (often disappointed) for meaningful legislation instead of political theater.
And I guess I don't know what a Blue Dog democrat is. I know that George Rodrigue Blue Dog that was all over the place a decade or so back, but I always thought that we meant Yellow Dog Democrat, as in "I'd vote Democratic even if the candidate was a yaller dawg..." Is a Blue Dog Democrat something different? Thanks for info!
This long analysis can be boiled down into a few sentences that describe the reality of the 2026 Democratic party, herewith. Democratic candidates in general elections should come across as folksy, not arrogant and condescending. They should act like they care about blue-collar people even if all their donations and their most fervent supporters in the primaries come from the far Left Wokester wing of the party. They should bob and weave when asked - if they are ever asked by partisan left-wing journalists - if it's fair for XX athletes to have to compete with XY athletes; use similar tactics when asked about any limits on abortion at any stage of gestation. Pretend to care about rising utility bills when your genuine concern is placating the green lobby. If asked about having any limits on immigration, say America is a land of immigrants, that Americans won't do many jobs that immigrants do, imply that support for any limits is racist and xenophobic.
In short, do what the new Governor of Virginia did during her recent campaign. Pose like a moderate, but once safely in office veer hard Left. Your cheerleaders in the media will still label you as moderate even when you're just a half millimeter to the Right of AOC.
Exactly right. We have an "independent" senate candidate running again (Dan Osborn lost 2 years ago) in Nebraska (the Dems aren't fielding a candidate). 90% of his fundraising is from out of state. He refuses to say which party he will be caucusing with. He refuses to answer yes or no questions. No one is falling for this phony.
Great analysis. Ultimately Dem policy is the problem. Trump has an expiration date, lousy Dem policy does not. Expanding a Dem tent steeped in policy few seem to wish to dwell under, is a pretty large hurdle. Colorado has grown consistently for decades, until bright Blue state governance became the norm. The state is now included in the top 5 US states Americans are fleeing.
The notion of a "good" Democrat after Spanberger and Sherrill might be a steeper hill to climb. A list of VA proposed tax increases under Spanberger, would shock most Americans outside CA and IL. Likewise, Sherrill's devotion to cap and trade, even as NJ residents endure some of the highest US energy prices, is unlikely to be helpful.
Sherrod Brown is 75 years old and backed Biden 100% of the time, which is why Buckeyes sent him home in the first place. Talarico is Left of AOC, while hiding behind a Minister's pulpit. He has declared Jesus to be non binary, as he supports child transitions and open borders. James also recently referred to his former opponent Collin Allred as a "mediocre Black Man". It now seems a toss up, if he beats Crockett in the primary.
Trump is undoubtedly his own worst enemy, but putting all Dem eggs in one immigration basket may not be wise. In the past month alone, an 11 year old GA girl was raped multiple times, in multiple fashions, in front of her 10 year old sister. The home invasion and rape were allegedly at the hands of a Biden migrant. Caught in CA a week later, not even CA was dumb enough to fight GA extradition of a child rapist, but it should be noted, CA would have refused to turn the attacker over to ICE, had ICE made such a request.
Last week a Biden migrant driving in a semi truck in rural IN crossed the center line and killed 4 Amish men in a van. The migrant was unable to read English, but handed a commercial Drivers license by Penn's Josh Shapiro.
Both situations have been semi regular occurrences since 2021. They simply receive little press coverage. Surely eventually, Rep political ads will tell those stories and dozens of similar tragedies, repeatedly. The ads will ask why the deaths of 2 Minnesota protesters matter, but the deaths of multitudes of Americans due to Open Borders, do not. It could be a powerful new twist on "they/them".
Virginia Democrats ran on "affordability" but are pushing 51, yes, 51 new taxes and increases to existing ones. Electric rates have doubled since they took over and they are pushing green energy policies that will drive rates even higher and make the grid less reliable. So much for affordability...
There's a list of bills attacking gun owners as long as your arm and they are removing mandatory sentencing for rapists, murderers and child molesters while restoring their voting rights after they serve their abbreviated sentences.
As word spreads about what the Democrats are doing in Virginia, you're going to have a lot less to be hopeful about.
So many articles about how to win elections. And Democrats might pull it off. There will be enough people who desperately want to believe the stirring words.
But they will not have sustainable momentum until someone is willing to do what Trump did. Actually denounce the existing policies and leaders. Then maybe people will actually believe they will go in a different direction.
But Democrats, unlike Trump, have sold their souls to the “groups” and the large donors. They will say things that sound good, but in the end they will keep doing what the groups and donors want.
Journalists love Marie Glusenkamp Perez, but a fair number of Democrats in this purple district do not. She is being primaried from the left in this top 2 primary race. At a recent ' get to know me' session hosted by one her challengers, a voter suggested that wording such as "fascists" that were playing well in the room, should be modified for messaging to the public at large. The suggestion was met with hoots of derision, as was the suggestion that a successful candidate in this district should express willingness to work with Republicans. The Republicans are running a moderate with years of experience in state politics. This should be one to watch.
I have to admit when I hear someone say fascist, I think idiot. Just like I do when Rs talk about 2020 being a stolen election, birth certificate, or other hairball ideas.
More cheerleading and tactical obfuscation.
Coalition? See, that's the problem. The rest of us say "coalition" to mean disparate groups with common principles. Democrats say "coalition" when they mean a gang of groups with different payment plans.
If you're honest about what you will do, you lose elections.
If you blow sunshine at the electorate and they buy it then the voters (and those of us who didn't vote for you pay the bill.
The Democrats’ problem is that the persuadable voters they need to pick up want Trump light, which means being willing to work with Trump. Conversely the Democrats’ base wants Trump fought tooth and nail.
Excellent overview - these candidates focused on communities and their local problems sound great, but I hope that, if they win, they can translate those focused intentions into their roles in DC. I'm worried we'll be in for two years of wasted voters' time with one impeachment after another - love Trump or hate him, when the president and congress move together, at least things happen for a change. I'm tired of gridlock-as-usual and am always hoping (often disappointed) for meaningful legislation instead of political theater.
And I guess I don't know what a Blue Dog democrat is. I know that George Rodrigue Blue Dog that was all over the place a decade or so back, but I always thought that we meant Yellow Dog Democrat, as in "I'd vote Democratic even if the candidate was a yaller dawg..." Is a Blue Dog Democrat something different? Thanks for info!
https://bluedogs-gluesenkampperez.house.gov/
This is their web page.