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Tigercourse's avatar

In your opinion, what would be the best way to move on from our seemingly too narrow appeal?

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Jonathan's avatar

Only speaking for me; my strategy is simple; Let Trump Be Trump

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Zero Cool's avatar

Yes although I think it would be beneficial that as Trump is being Trump, running against Trump shouldn't be the sole thing Democrats should think about heading to the 2026 midterms.

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Jonathan's avatar

I think you should always offer a positive message but the reality is that turning the national campaign into a Trump referendum is the best strategy in my view

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Zero Cool's avatar

Agreed. I think though that at some point after Trump leaves office Democrats are going to have to realize that they can no longer run against Trump or Trumpism anymore if they want to ensure their viability towards voters.

But yes, there is going to be plenty of ammunition Democrats have with the 2026 midterms a bit over two years away.

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Mike in MD's avatar

We'll probably get a lot of ammunition for 2026 and 2028. But while we might win a lot of voters back as a result ,they'll be essentially "on loan".

To really assemble a majority, or at least winning, coalition that we can depend on we'll need more than Republican blunders, or issues related to personality or candidate quality. Such circumstances may produce temporary wins but inevitably a lot of the coalition drifts away over two or four years.

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Zero Cool's avatar

Valid points you're making. This particularly applies to the Hispanic voters, plenty of whom are not sold on the anti-Trump agenda as it hasn't specifically targeted the bread and butter issues that are near and dear to them.

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Wolfpack Dem's avatar

heh, fellow JVL/Bulwark reader!

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Mark's avatar

The politics of health care is dicey but with costs continuing to spiral out of control and hospitals closing in smaller communities throughout the country, I think the issue gives Democrats an opening to be heard again by voters who have tuned them out completely, especially if Trump repeals any part of Obamacare.

Beyond that, Democrats are gonna have to accept that voters aren't gonna tolerate illegal immigration, so the yearslong effort to blur the lines by whatever means necessary have fallen flat and will continue to if they haven't learned their lesson.

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Mike in MD's avatar

Voters recoiling at overreach in one direction doesn't meant that they want an ideological activist agenda the other way. They were appalled at children being separated and put into cages, but that doesn't mean they want all border crossing decriminalized or that making that part of the Dem platform is a good idea. And I say that as someone who wants more (legal) immigration.

As for health care, that is not and is unlikely to be a GOP strength. They don't have to go for full Obamacare repeal to take the brunt of voter anger over higher costs and/or lesser service, given their previous record and that they won't be able to blame it on a Dem WH or either house of Congress.

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