No matter how corrupt or illegal, the Republican Congress will only do what Trump allows them to do, even though Trump’s link to reality is tenuous. The Democratic reality is that the people want change. People want someone who will fight for them, not someone who will surrender when under pressure, someone with fire in their belly, not someone who looks for the safe way out. The reality is that the primary season is defining the direction that the Democratic majority wants from the Democratic Party.
This is how democracy works.
The reality of this primary season is undeniable, the people do not want to be trapped in this unending stream of corruption and greed with a decidedly disturbing movement towards an authoritarian regime. This is about more than affordability, more than health care and all of the rights that we no longer have, it is about democracy. In a democracy, democracy is never a bias, it is foundational but not always comfortable. The ability to look at outcomes and accept the reality of what they show is indicative of a flexible party that accepts the actuality of where we are and is ready to confront the challenge of the next two years.
Trump is not a well man and his decline is rapidly advancing. The Republican Party has shown no courage to face this most obvious fact, they do nothing but surrender to his whims and wishes. Without the consent of the governed no government can survive and the pattern of the primaries show that we the people do not consent, we want acknowledgement of the danger we are in with action and we vote.
Voters need to 86 GOP supporters of a sociopathic narcissist bent on ratcheting up a forever war they don’t want burying them in new taxes that worsen their struggle to get by & plundering the treasury to glorify himself with garish monuments & tacky tributes that have marred the nation’s capitol. MAGAs reject science wreck the economy balloon the deficit & transfer wealth to the wealthiest.
A Blue Tsunami is essential. When Democrats and center left indepedents take over House and Senate, Trump will be effectively stymied. He is unable to govern in a democracy. His governing style is issuing executive orders, usually followed by childish temper tantrums. A Democrat-controlled Congress can bring this behavior to a screaming halt. It can't happen too soon!
The Michigan senate primary message that big money may not produce the intended result was important in my view. Regardless of what one feels about El-Sayed, he won without the big money. I can only hope that is an indication of what is yet to come in our politics.
Indeed! And I would suggest that attempts to frame the Democratic Party as being at war with itself is the textbook definition of "stupid distractions." I am infuriated by the focus in EVERY news outlet (including the newfangled ones such as substack commentators) on the idiotic notion that the Dems cannot come together and support EVERYONE on the ticket, moderate and progressive. This attempt to sow divisiveness is so transparent as to be risible, but if that is all the "public" reads and sees and hears, then the work is done. I also suggest that we need for the MAGATS to feel so dispirited that they stay home and sit on their hands rather than vote. In Missouri's primary on Tuesday, the number of registered Dems voting far outnumbered the other side--so much so that the KC elections board ran out of paper ballots! They apologized and were able to rectify the situation but that bodes well, I think, for November. The reason why Harris lost was because Dems stayed home. We cannot indulge people in their torpor anymore.
I am a registered independent but haven’t voted for a Republican since Bob Dole ran for president. That said, the Democratic Party needs to replace the leadership and pull the party together.
El-Sayed won rural counties - 43 out of 61 - by a margin of 9, per the NYT. That included votes from where I live, Michigan's Upper Peninsula - never a bastion of radicalism by any measure! - which were votes he needed to WIN. It's not often that our area can make that kind of difference, and I'm proud of "us"! And as you note, he did it without big money.
Paul Krugman had a fascinating discussion with a Hungarian expert following the election that put Magyar in power, which explained that it was his going into the rural counties that enabled him to win. Orban had it rigged somehow that these counties' votes were weighted to count more (!) and Magyar then used it to his advantage.
I hope El-Sayed has made note of that example. The powerful Democrats who endorsed Stevens have made an admirably fast pivot to El-Sayed, and he should be able to win the usual bastions of Democratic votes, i.e. cities and college areas, but he may again need the rural votes to defeat the Trump toady, Mike Rogers.
Great point on campaigning in the rural counties. I hope that all Democratic candidates take note. In the last election, Dems seemed to largely ignore rural America and it led to their loss. Based on how poorly farmers have been treated courtesy of Trump's destructive initiatives, there must be millions of rural people ready to support a Democratic party that will actually support them.
McMorrow, who as a Colorado outsider I thought had a better chance in the full election, quickly threw her 100% support behind El-Sayed. I have family in MI but we don’t discuss politics as they are firmly entrenched Republicans. Congrats to the UP.
"Republican politicians’ infamous professions of ignorance — ‘I didn’t hear him say X’ — and jaw-dropping excuses, coupled with generally weak legacy media interviewers, allow them to escape commenting on, let alone taking responsibility, for the nonstop outrages emanating from the Oval Office."
So true.
Reporters need to press them on this: "Do you think you can responsibly represent your constituents if you don't read or listen to the comments made by the president of the United States?"
" Has the Republican party abandoned their constituents by claiming they never hear or understand what the leader of that party is saying and doing?"
Part of the problem is, I think that they *are* representing their constituents. Somehow, MAGA voters need to be educated on the consequences of their votes.
The right wing line of attack I'm seeing a lot of now: Conflating Democrats with the Democratic Socialist Party, and then cherry picking the DSP's most absurd proposals such as abolishing prisons and the police.
The Democrats want the social safety net restored so that people in need can get enough food and health care. We want affordable health care and housing. We want to stop the funneling up of wealth to the top that has created the biggest gap between the rich and the rest of us in the history of the United States. We want women to have control over their bodies. This doesn't make us radical, it puts us in line with what the majority of Americans say they want. The Republicans are actually the extremists, out of touch with ordinary Americans.
There’s so much nonsense that has been uttered by MAGA politicians from safely red districts over the years. We can easily match any far left proposals uttered by DSA candidates with quotes from extreme far right politicians. For example:
“I hear your ‘abolish prisons’ mockery and I’ll raise you a ‘Jewish space lasers’ (Marjorie Taylor Greene) and a ‘Putin doesn’t want Ukraine…he’s got enough land of his own’ (Tommy Tuberville).”
Jen has unleashed a number of ways for Democrats to deal with the way Republicans have made egregious decisions that harm everyday Americans. The specific Republicans who have made these decisions should be held to account for the poor choices they made, such as Susan Collins on the big ugly bill. And yes calling Democrats, “Communists” is scraping the bottom of the barrel just like overusing the term “woke”. Tolerating sexual violence against children and women is another thing that should be called out. Democrats must not be complacent about any of this.
It is also way past time to combat the barrage of lies that are unleashed upon us. Truth and facts need to be stressed in direct opposition to to the lies. They cannot be allowed to go unchallenged.
You hit the nail on the head with this one Jen, thank you! I took notes on several, powerful talking points you laid out & will use them as I knock on doors in the CA Central Valley, a must flip race. Hope to see you soon, you are missed!
Thank you Jen. Excellent! And let’s not forget those service men and women on board the USS Abraham Lincoln who have served for a long time(I believe 9 months) and now don’t have enough food or soap! Let’s see one of those oligarchs do something besides make money off of tax breaks and fly in some supplies. Those who serve our country are not a concern for President BoneSpurs. He’s too busy using TrumpSocial to help his buddies make money. More $ for Trump and his buddies, scarce soap and food for our brave men and women. That’s a story of today’s America.
Yes, please help to organize researchers in every state to compile a list of key votes -- and actions to prevent key votes like the bipartisan comprehensive immigration acts of 2024 -- for each Trump enabler who is up for election in November. The list is long and almost identical for almost every Republican. Include and highlight failure to acknowledge the legitimacy of Trump's loss in 2020 and Biden's Presidency.
Opposing candidates who do not enable Trump should simply read from this list at every opportunity and create a diversity of ads based on them for every form of media. NOW!
Every Republican in Congress must be held responsible for every tragedy as a result of this fascist administration/party. A child dies of measles or any other preventable disease, - Susan Collins is responsibles. A person gets sick because of tainted produce, - Susan Collins is responsible. A U.S. soldier is injured or killed fighting in the Middle East, - Susan Collins is responsible. You can substitute any Republican you like. Grocery, healthcare and energy prices go up, - Susan Collins is responsible. I can imagine the posters in every swing state.
These are great ideas not only for Democrats but for independents and anyone else who is concerned about our country. Personally, I wish we wouldn’t talk about Republicans versus Democrats versus everybody else and talk about right versus wrong.
Texas Democrat here. I think our Texas Democratic candidates are holding Texas Republicans' feet to the fire in locally resonant ways. They are doing so based on listening to and identifying with us, the everyday Texans. Familiarity with Republican mis-governance has bred a lot of grassroots contempt for specific Republicans. Everyday people will supply the most cutting and shrewd campaign attacks on Republicans.
When you are Taylor Rehmet, for instance, and local Republicans who have known Leigh Wambganss for years are calling her "odious" on Facebook, you are smart to jump on that. And, of course, you agree with it. Gina Hinojosa recently did an ad with a couple in Hood County. Hood County is so Red, the sun can't look at it. Hood County was the home base of Stewart Rhodes of the Oath Keepers (eye patch guy). Y'all should check Hinojosa's video out. It is both heartening and heart-breaking. A data center was built next door to this blue collar couple, making their lives literally hell. They tell her they are all-in on Democrats because she came and listened to them and promised to help them. You can find the video online.
Yesterday, the citizens of Tarrant County stormed the Bastille, er...showed up at the Tarrant County Commissioner's Court meeting to oppose it cutting our polling stations by 45% in the fall. Texas Democratic candidates were there in force. They signed up to make public comments, they rallied with the citizens and they made it so damn hot for Tim O'Hare and his MAGA that they tabled their scheme. It really isn't hard to hold Republicans accountable.
Just show up and make them justify themselves using the correct standards. Expose the absurdity of their arguments and how implausible their stories are. Make it manifest that their "justifications" are merely shams to perpetuate their own power. Never, ever, let them set the terms of debate. Play offense. I think this is what Ms. Rubin is pointing out.
The people know exactly how to do this. Consultants are useless for this kind of local politics.
Tarrant county resident here. Chris Tackett, an early opponent of Stuart Rhodes and co-author with wife Mendy of "See it. Name it. Fight it." substack posted a video of the TC commissioner court proceedings. Brilliant. I submitted online comments. Will try to go to the next meeting.
To the Democrats in Congress:
No matter how corrupt or illegal, the Republican Congress will only do what Trump allows them to do, even though Trump’s link to reality is tenuous. The Democratic reality is that the people want change. People want someone who will fight for them, not someone who will surrender when under pressure, someone with fire in their belly, not someone who looks for the safe way out. The reality is that the primary season is defining the direction that the Democratic majority wants from the Democratic Party.
This is how democracy works.
The reality of this primary season is undeniable, the people do not want to be trapped in this unending stream of corruption and greed with a decidedly disturbing movement towards an authoritarian regime. This is about more than affordability, more than health care and all of the rights that we no longer have, it is about democracy. In a democracy, democracy is never a bias, it is foundational but not always comfortable. The ability to look at outcomes and accept the reality of what they show is indicative of a flexible party that accepts the actuality of where we are and is ready to confront the challenge of the next two years.
Trump is not a well man and his decline is rapidly advancing. The Republican Party has shown no courage to face this most obvious fact, they do nothing but surrender to his whims and wishes. Without the consent of the governed no government can survive and the pattern of the primaries show that we the people do not consent, we want acknowledgement of the danger we are in with action and we vote.
We the people do not consent.
Well said. Thank you.
Voters need to 86 GOP supporters of a sociopathic narcissist bent on ratcheting up a forever war they don’t want burying them in new taxes that worsen their struggle to get by & plundering the treasury to glorify himself with garish monuments & tacky tributes that have marred the nation’s capitol. MAGAs reject science wreck the economy balloon the deficit & transfer wealth to the wealthiest.
Dems: an order of magnitude better than the Trump & Co packs of depraved sociopaths. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_i38-qjtbI
Please, 86 47 & his capos with a Blue Tsunami. #VoteBlue! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6ji9EFt9Lg
A Blue Tsunami is essential. When Democrats and center left indepedents take over House and Senate, Trump will be effectively stymied. He is unable to govern in a democracy. His governing style is issuing executive orders, usually followed by childish temper tantrums. A Democrat-controlled Congress can bring this behavior to a screaming halt. It can't happen too soon!
👍🥰
The Michigan senate primary message that big money may not produce the intended result was important in my view. Regardless of what one feels about El-Sayed, he won without the big money. I can only hope that is an indication of what is yet to come in our politics.
Indeed! And I would suggest that attempts to frame the Democratic Party as being at war with itself is the textbook definition of "stupid distractions." I am infuriated by the focus in EVERY news outlet (including the newfangled ones such as substack commentators) on the idiotic notion that the Dems cannot come together and support EVERYONE on the ticket, moderate and progressive. This attempt to sow divisiveness is so transparent as to be risible, but if that is all the "public" reads and sees and hears, then the work is done. I also suggest that we need for the MAGATS to feel so dispirited that they stay home and sit on their hands rather than vote. In Missouri's primary on Tuesday, the number of registered Dems voting far outnumbered the other side--so much so that the KC elections board ran out of paper ballots! They apologized and were able to rectify the situation but that bodes well, I think, for November. The reason why Harris lost was because Dems stayed home. We cannot indulge people in their torpor anymore.
I am a registered independent but haven’t voted for a Republican since Bob Dole ran for president. That said, the Democratic Party needs to replace the leadership and pull the party together.
Indeed! Too many old farts running the show.
El-Sayed won rural counties - 43 out of 61 - by a margin of 9, per the NYT. That included votes from where I live, Michigan's Upper Peninsula - never a bastion of radicalism by any measure! - which were votes he needed to WIN. It's not often that our area can make that kind of difference, and I'm proud of "us"! And as you note, he did it without big money.
Paul Krugman had a fascinating discussion with a Hungarian expert following the election that put Magyar in power, which explained that it was his going into the rural counties that enabled him to win. Orban had it rigged somehow that these counties' votes were weighted to count more (!) and Magyar then used it to his advantage.
I hope El-Sayed has made note of that example. The powerful Democrats who endorsed Stevens have made an admirably fast pivot to El-Sayed, and he should be able to win the usual bastions of Democratic votes, i.e. cities and college areas, but he may again need the rural votes to defeat the Trump toady, Mike Rogers.
Great point on campaigning in the rural counties. I hope that all Democratic candidates take note. In the last election, Dems seemed to largely ignore rural America and it led to their loss. Based on how poorly farmers have been treated courtesy of Trump's destructive initiatives, there must be millions of rural people ready to support a Democratic party that will actually support them.
I saw the map showing that a chunk of the UP went for El-Sayed and I wondered about that. Thanks for filling us in.
McMorrow, who as a Colorado outsider I thought had a better chance in the full election, quickly threw her 100% support behind El-Sayed. I have family in MI but we don’t discuss politics as they are firmly entrenched Republicans. Congrats to the UP.
We miss seeing you, Jen, and hope you are doing well. Your post today is spot on as usual.
"Republican politicians’ infamous professions of ignorance — ‘I didn’t hear him say X’ — and jaw-dropping excuses, coupled with generally weak legacy media interviewers, allow them to escape commenting on, let alone taking responsibility, for the nonstop outrages emanating from the Oval Office."
So true.
Reporters need to press them on this: "Do you think you can responsibly represent your constituents if you don't read or listen to the comments made by the president of the United States?"
" Has the Republican party abandoned their constituents by claiming they never hear or understand what the leader of that party is saying and doing?"
It's time to put some feet to the fire.
Part of the problem is, I think that they *are* representing their constituents. Somehow, MAGA voters need to be educated on the consequences of their votes.
Many of them seem to have been burned deeply enough that they are re-thinking their 2024 choice.
https://gelliottmorris.substack.com/p/2026-07-22-midterm-enthusiasm-gap-july-poll?r=33sgk&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
The right wing line of attack I'm seeing a lot of now: Conflating Democrats with the Democratic Socialist Party, and then cherry picking the DSP's most absurd proposals such as abolishing prisons and the police.
The Democrats want the social safety net restored so that people in need can get enough food and health care. We want affordable health care and housing. We want to stop the funneling up of wealth to the top that has created the biggest gap between the rich and the rest of us in the history of the United States. We want women to have control over their bodies. This doesn't make us radical, it puts us in line with what the majority of Americans say they want. The Republicans are actually the extremists, out of touch with ordinary Americans.
There’s so much nonsense that has been uttered by MAGA politicians from safely red districts over the years. We can easily match any far left proposals uttered by DSA candidates with quotes from extreme far right politicians. For example:
“I hear your ‘abolish prisons’ mockery and I’ll raise you a ‘Jewish space lasers’ (Marjorie Taylor Greene) and a ‘Putin doesn’t want Ukraine…he’s got enough land of his own’ (Tommy Tuberville).”
Jen has unleashed a number of ways for Democrats to deal with the way Republicans have made egregious decisions that harm everyday Americans. The specific Republicans who have made these decisions should be held to account for the poor choices they made, such as Susan Collins on the big ugly bill. And yes calling Democrats, “Communists” is scraping the bottom of the barrel just like overusing the term “woke”. Tolerating sexual violence against children and women is another thing that should be called out. Democrats must not be complacent about any of this.
It is also way past time to combat the barrage of lies that are unleashed upon us. Truth and facts need to be stressed in direct opposition to to the lies. They cannot be allowed to go unchallenged.
Simply ask Republicans again and again:
Want more Iran Wars? Still higher prices on food and fuel?
More stonewalling on the Epstein files and pardons for those convicted in court for J6 crimes?
More Reflecting Pool screwups and Kennedy Center closings?
Just vote for the Republicans who enabled this nonsense! Send Trump a message!
Throw in "more gold leaf to please Trump at a price of hundreds of millions of taxpayers dollars?" Talk about waste, fraud and abuse!
“Protection Racket for highly suspect conduct” — exactly! I hope Democratic candidates show up with their verbal guns blazing.
You hit the nail on the head with this one Jen, thank you! I took notes on several, powerful talking points you laid out & will use them as I knock on doors in the CA Central Valley, a must flip race. Hope to see you soon, you are missed!
Thank you Jen. Excellent! And let’s not forget those service men and women on board the USS Abraham Lincoln who have served for a long time(I believe 9 months) and now don’t have enough food or soap! Let’s see one of those oligarchs do something besides make money off of tax breaks and fly in some supplies. Those who serve our country are not a concern for President BoneSpurs. He’s too busy using TrumpSocial to help his buddies make money. More $ for Trump and his buddies, scarce soap and food for our brave men and women. That’s a story of today’s America.
Bravo, at last!
Yes, please help to organize researchers in every state to compile a list of key votes -- and actions to prevent key votes like the bipartisan comprehensive immigration acts of 2024 -- for each Trump enabler who is up for election in November. The list is long and almost identical for almost every Republican. Include and highlight failure to acknowledge the legitimacy of Trump's loss in 2020 and Biden's Presidency.
Opposing candidates who do not enable Trump should simply read from this list at every opportunity and create a diversity of ads based on them for every form of media. NOW!
Very well said. Thank you. I just hope Democrats will step up in the ways you suggest. The stakes couldn't be higher!
Every Republican in Congress must be held responsible for every tragedy as a result of this fascist administration/party. A child dies of measles or any other preventable disease, - Susan Collins is responsibles. A person gets sick because of tainted produce, - Susan Collins is responsible. A U.S. soldier is injured or killed fighting in the Middle East, - Susan Collins is responsible. You can substitute any Republican you like. Grocery, healthcare and energy prices go up, - Susan Collins is responsible. I can imagine the posters in every swing state.
These are great ideas not only for Democrats but for independents and anyone else who is concerned about our country. Personally, I wish we wouldn’t talk about Republicans versus Democrats versus everybody else and talk about right versus wrong.
Seems like El-Sayed has the right idea, labeling Mike Rogers as a neo-con/Trump "bootlicker".
Texas Democrat here. I think our Texas Democratic candidates are holding Texas Republicans' feet to the fire in locally resonant ways. They are doing so based on listening to and identifying with us, the everyday Texans. Familiarity with Republican mis-governance has bred a lot of grassroots contempt for specific Republicans. Everyday people will supply the most cutting and shrewd campaign attacks on Republicans.
When you are Taylor Rehmet, for instance, and local Republicans who have known Leigh Wambganss for years are calling her "odious" on Facebook, you are smart to jump on that. And, of course, you agree with it. Gina Hinojosa recently did an ad with a couple in Hood County. Hood County is so Red, the sun can't look at it. Hood County was the home base of Stewart Rhodes of the Oath Keepers (eye patch guy). Y'all should check Hinojosa's video out. It is both heartening and heart-breaking. A data center was built next door to this blue collar couple, making their lives literally hell. They tell her they are all-in on Democrats because she came and listened to them and promised to help them. You can find the video online.
Yesterday, the citizens of Tarrant County stormed the Bastille, er...showed up at the Tarrant County Commissioner's Court meeting to oppose it cutting our polling stations by 45% in the fall. Texas Democratic candidates were there in force. They signed up to make public comments, they rallied with the citizens and they made it so damn hot for Tim O'Hare and his MAGA that they tabled their scheme. It really isn't hard to hold Republicans accountable.
Just show up and make them justify themselves using the correct standards. Expose the absurdity of their arguments and how implausible their stories are. Make it manifest that their "justifications" are merely shams to perpetuate their own power. Never, ever, let them set the terms of debate. Play offense. I think this is what Ms. Rubin is pointing out.
The people know exactly how to do this. Consultants are useless for this kind of local politics.
Tarrant county resident here. Chris Tackett, an early opponent of Stuart Rhodes and co-author with wife Mendy of "See it. Name it. Fight it." substack posted a video of the TC commissioner court proceedings. Brilliant. I submitted online comments. Will try to go to the next meeting.