The 2025 Election Day is quickly approaching. Although it may not receive the same level of attention as the 2026 midterms, Democrats can no longer concentrate on events from 2024.
To succeed in the upcoming elections, my fellow Democrats need to move past merely condemning President Trump’s negative actions and policies. They should promote initiatives that the majority of people think will enhance their lives by making America more cost-effective.
Democratic candidates are currently campaigning in the only two governor races this year, taking place in Virginia and New Jersey. Should they emerge victorious in the November 4 elections, they will act as examples for Democrats nationwide who are competing in the 2026 midterm elections.
Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic candidate for governor in Virginia, is running her campaign based on herAffordable Virginia Plan.Similarly, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic candidate for governor in New Jersey, is running on herAffordability AgendaBoth contenders aim to reduce the expenses related to healthcare, housing, energy, and food.
Trump aims to shift focus away from affordability issues by depicting Democrats as radicals who support policies that are not in line with the majority of Americans’ views. He has labeled Democrats“radical left lunatics,” Marxists, communists, and fascists, and “the enemy from within,”more hazardous than Russia, China, and other external threats.
Spanberger and Sherrill are wisely steering clear of supporting extreme policies that the majority of Americans reject. Democratic candidates in 2026 should take a similar approach. When Democrats move too far to the left, many voters feel disconnected from the party, and as a result, they don’t offer their backing.
Democrats need to persuade a majority of Americans that our party is the one capable of delivering on affordability and greater benefits for all. We must also demonstrate that we can perform better than Trump and the Republicans in generating jobs with fair wages, ensuring community safety from crime, safeguarding public health, and enhancing public schools, colleges, and vocational training.
And Democrats need to persuade Americans that we are the party committed to truth, ethical behavior, following the law, respecting the system of checks and balances that Congress and the courts enforce on the presidency, and remaining loyal to all other aspects of the Constitution.
Trump has dismissed all these values in favor of authoritarian governance, using the Justice Department as a tool for retaliation against his adversaries, and transforming the presidency into a massive cash machine topocket billions of dollarsfor his own and his family’s benefit.
Trump is implementing policies that are increasing the cost of living in America. These involve tariffs that lead to higher prices for various goods. They also involve the large-scale removal of undocumented immigrants who hold essential positions in agriculture, construction, and other critical sectors. In addition to being inhumane and unfair, these actions are causing labor shortages, which are contributing to rising costs.
Currently, millions of Americans are not satisfied with either the Democrats or the Republicans. The September 30 RealClearPolitics poll averageshowsTrump has a public job approval rating of just 45 percent, with 53 percent disapproving.
Trump’s poor approval ratings are politically damaging for him, but Democrats are faring even worse in the polls. The September 21 RealClearPolitics average of pollsshowsOnly 33 percent of Americans have a positive view of the Democratic Party, while 59 percent hold an unfavorable opinion. Should these negative perceptions remain unchanged, the Democrats will face significant challenges in securing control of the House during the 2026 midterm elections and an even greater struggle in our ambitious effort to gain a Senate majority.
Different groups within the Democratic Party, such as centrists, liberals, and progressives, have varying ideas about the party’s priorities. We won’t always see eye to eye, so it’s best to focus on our common goals. The Republicans gain the most when we waste resources on internal conflicts.
I think the main factor for Democratic electoral success will involve mobilizing our core supporters in large numbers, while also gaining votes from outside our usual base. This means securing the backing of independents, non-MAGA Republicans, and Americans who are so disengaged from politics that they don’t even bother to vote.
The Census Bureau reportedIn April, 65 percent of eligible voters participated in the 2024 elections. This indicates that almost 35 percent of Americans who were eligible to vote did not cast their ballots. If we can convert a substantial portion of these individuals into Democratic voters, we will have a better chance of winning future elections.
An NBC pollIn April, a question was posed: “Which party stands up for people like you?” The survey revealed that 24 percent of Americans stated only the Republican Party, 23 percent mentioned only the Democratic Party, 15 percent said both parties, and 38 percent responded with “neither party.” Nearly 47 percent of those who chose “neither party” did not cast a vote last year.
Democrats need to demonstrate to the “middle” group that our party is capable of assisting them in leading improved lives.
Republicans have consistently depicted government as a threat to the people, instead of seeing it as their guardian and helper. Trump has maintained this incorrect view, using it to support the removal of300,000 federal employeesBy the end of this year, through layoffs and buyouts, it will severely limit the federal government’s capacity to address our needs.
The Democratic Party has historically been recognized as the party representing working individuals, those striving to escape poverty, people of color, and women fighting against discrimination, small business owners, and young people looking for quality education and initial job opportunities. We continue to advocate for these groups, and therefore it is in the best interest of most Americans to support our candidates.
We are the group that stands behind the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights, including the First Amendment’s freedom of speech, which is currently being challenged by the Trump administration. We are the party that supports the objective of thePledge of Allegianceto offer Americans “liberty and justice for all.”
And we are the group responsible for achievingthe promiseby President Abraham Lincoln, “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not be erased from the earth.”
As we approach the elections in November and the increased number of contests in the 2026 midterms, this should be our message to Americans.
Donna Brazile is a political consultant, an ABC News analyst, and former leader of the Democratic National Committee. She is the writer ofHacks: The Unauthorized Inside Stories of the Break-ins and Crises That Brought Donald Trump to the White House.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This content cannot be published, aired, altered, or shared again.
For the most recent updates, weather forecasts, sports coverage, and live video streaming, visit The Hill.
