Dem
47
GOP
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Democratic strategists are advising 2026 Democratic candidates not to focus on Donald Trump, Venezuela, or even the mighty Epstein files. They say the key to winning the midterms is to point out that the Republicans have failed to do anything about affordability and to explain what they will do to make life better for people. James Carville was right: "It's [still] the economy, stupid." If Democrats can make a case on how they will make the economy better, that will be the key to winning, the strategists say.
It isn't like talking about Trump is taboo. It is fine if it fits in with affordability. For example, blaming Trump's tariffs for the high price of everything is fine. One tool the Democrats can then talk about using is having Congress take back the power to levy tariffs and use them only in a highly targeted way. For example, a high tariff on Chinese solar panels combined with a subsidy for American-made solar panels could be a way for people to reduce their electricity costs (by generating their own power), while also creating manufacturing jobs. Another good topic would be health care costs and how Republican policies (such as blocking subsidies) have made them go through the roof.
To some extent, this advice comes from observing the big Democratic wins in the gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey and the race for mayor of New York. There the candidates talked endlessly about affordability and won bigger-than-expected victories.
One word the Democrats must absolutely ban from their vocabularies is the I-word (impeachment). This doesn't motivate Democrats or independents much, but it motivates Republicans enormously. Not a word about it, please.
In particular, young and minority voters voted for Trump in greater numbers than expected because they hoped he would lower prices on Day 1, as he promised. By November, it will be abundantly clear to them that he failed to do so. Showing video clips of him making that promise will be fine if combined with an explanation of what a Democratic Congress could do to lower prices (or raise wages). Many 2024 Trump voters are not motivated by "democracy" issues, but by kitchen-table issues. (V)