On this Memorial Day weekend, we meet again, and things seem to get no better. I am very mindful, having read social media and listened to the news, that it's clear people are absolutely exhausted. If we are to win what has become a war of attrition, we have to take a step back and challenge everything we have come to believe over the years about activism.
I can tell you without fear of contradiction that the road to the 2026 midterms will be one like we have never faced before. You can throw out the Democratic campaigning handbook because it’s about as valuable as a Trump University degree.
One of the biggest challenges everyday Americans face is making the right decision for themselves and their family at a time when they don’t trust a word that ANY politician says, because that’s where we are right now. The problem Democrats are having is understanding why tens of millions of Americans voted against their own interests in November. It’s the wrong question; the question they should be asking is, 'How could we have failed to deliver a proposition to the American people that gave them the hope they were desperately seeking for the future?’
Now we can argue all day about Jake Tapper’s book and whether it in any way represents the truth of what was going on out of sight in the administration. I understand why Democrats want to stand behind a man who embodies empathy and compassion, a president who brought America back from the brink of economic collapse as a result of his predecessor's gross incompetence and abject failure to lead. None of us were on the inside and can speak with any certainty about what was or wasn’t being hidden from the American people. I remain an admirer of Joe Biden for his decades of public service. All I know is, it’s hardly ever what happens that causes the damage, but rather the lies that are told to cover up the truth.
Democrats, I feel, would be wise to come clean about what happened rather than leave the void to be filled by the usual pervasive and damaging narrative that inevitably has taken hold and will hang around. As I have said before, which sparked some animosity, it was a fatal self-inflicted political wound for Joe Biden even to consider running for a second term. He stated himself in 2019 that he intended to serve a single term as a bridge to the next generation of Democratic leadership. All he had to do was honour that commitment, and I don’t believe America would be facing the catastrophe it does today.
The problem is that power becomes a narcotic for those who possess it. History has proven time and again that hubris can affect good judgment, and I believe this is another example of that in action. Tragically, we have now learned that Biden is suffering from advanced prostate cancer; the very fact that people are saying they wish him a ‘speedy and full recovery’ is in itself a denial of the facts. My heart goes out to Jill Biden and the president’s family and friends. Regardless of what happened, America owes Joe Biden a deep debt of gratitude for his decades of public service and the accomplishments he achieved as president.
Despite what anyone thinks of Joe Biden, he surrounded himself with the best of the best, and that is reflected in Trump inheriting the strongest economy in the world. I would like you to take a look at my recent Ad, which highlights the achievements of the Class of 2020. These were not the achievements of a failed president; they were the achievements of a transformative administration.
Do I think there should be an investigation into what was known about the abilities of Joe Biden during what was an obvious decline in his health? Probably, but not in this moment of peril for the nation. I for one am more than satisfied that whatever was going on, the security, prosperity and wellbeing of the American people was NEVER in doubt and Joe Biden’s legacy should reflect that.
What astounds me, is how ANY Republican can point the finger at Biden when their guy can’t even speak in joined up sentences and remain coherent in ANY encounters with the media. Take a listen to this almost two minutes of Trump’s own words:
I could play any number of these totally incoherent ramblings which leave me speechless. This is now the new normal for the most powerful man on the planet. Yet the media would rather focus on Joe Biden. If we are to win this war on lunacy, part of our job is to try and ensure that Trump’s clear cognitive decline is front and center in the conversation moving forward.
Returning to Democrats and their need to reset their approach to fighting the battle of the 2026 midterms. The sad death of Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly is the THIRD death of a sitting House Democrat since March. Yet Democratic leadership want to oust DNC Vice Chair David Hogg, for having the audacity to suggest Democrats should maybe be running Democrats that don’t have one foot in the grave? Take a breathe then tell me that makes sense. We hear talk of ‘We’re listening”, my question is, to who? Unless Democrats appoint some young blood to lead them on the House Oversight Committee, after the passing of Gerry Connolly, they can no longer be taken seriously in my view. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said Wednesday she is considering a second run for the vacant position. Politico reports:
‘If Ocasio-Cortez doesn’t run, a number of young, ambitious members could mount bids including Reps. Jasmine Crockett of Texas, Ro Khanna of California, Maxwell Frost of Florida and Robert Garcia of California.’
The Democratic party is paralysed by their aversion to risk. They seem unable to be bold despite having one of the deepest and most talented benches of political talent in modern American history. It has always been the case that victory favors the brave, just as it did in 2008 with Barack Obama, yet here we are after a defeat in which Democrats lost the House, the Senate, the White House and the popular vote and they are with a few exceptions, acting like rabbits caught in the headlights paralysed with indecision.
I’m including the clip below for two reasons. Firstly, I value Zeteo, the new media news organisation opened by fellow Brit Mehdi Hasan, who hosted this event and interviewed AOC. Secondly, to highlight how skilled AOC has become in the art of politics. If, like me, you have followed her from before she won her seat in Congress, you will have seen with me the birth of a once in a generation leader gifted to the nation. This is a woman who has navigated the corridors of power with a level of skill many of her male counterparts could only dream of. Believe me when I say very few politicians impress me so much that I would be prepared to jump on a plane and knock on doors for them, but she and Pete Buttigieg hit that sweet spot for me.
The constant refrain from the US side of the pond is that she’s too radical and Pete is gay. Please pause for a moment to think about that. Was two term Obama who delivered the ACA too black? No, he wasn’t; he’s likely the best President America had that it never allowed to transform society because he was black, and that is how broken American politics is. For me, this is without question why so many have walked away from political engagement. The two-party system in the modern America no longer represents American society. As of September 30th 2024 USA FACTS reported:
‘Of registered voters, 47% have declared a party affiliation. As of September 2024, 36 million voters are registered Republicans and 45.1 million are registered Democrats.’
The political conversation is fractured; the Citizens United ruling from the Supreme Court changed everything; it allowed the kidnapping of the truth and created a permissive environment for ‘alternative facts’ and industrial-scale right-wing propaganda. Trump has taken this to a new level by using the power of the presidency to bury the truth further, using executive orders to run a campaign of fear against ‘legacy media’. It intends to ensure any narrative he doesn’t like is dead on arrival. Not satisfied by silencing traditional media, he has also taken social media hostage, with the ability to control the narrative by instructing platform owners to tweak the algorithms.
As identified by Unite America:
‘Independents are a growing cohort of voters—according to Gallup, more Americans identify as independents (40%) than as Democrats (29%) or Republicans (30%).
Independents overwhelmingly identify as “moderate” and state they agree with both major parties on certain issues. For example, independents tend to trust Democrats more on abortion, healthcare, and climate change, while they prefer Republicans on the economy, gun rights, and immigration.’
The key tipping point in this analysis is the economy. It accurately measures how effective Republican messaging is that they are perceived to be fiscally responsible among the critical, independent voting block. Every shred of evidence available proves beyond any doubt that this is absolutely false. They create less growth, fewer jobs, and increase deficits more than Democrats. Time and time again, history shows Republican Presidents passing on an economic wasteland to Democratic Presidents who bring the economy back from the brink for the next Republican to repeat the process.
On immigration, time and time again, Democrats have failed to grasp this third rail issue, and every time, Republicans are allowed to weaponise it and use it to kill them at the ballot box as they did in 2024. Until Democrats can control these key areas of the political narrative, they will continue to be fighting with one hand behind their back and their legs in chains.
SO WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
Before Democrats can do a thing to dig themselves out of this hole, there needs to be some serious introspection and willingness to own mistakes and I have to tell you, this is not their strong point. There has to be a four part strategy
Identify, own and learn from past mistakes
Develop and deploy a strategy to slow down the Republican march
Develop a bold clear and focused strategy to win back the House and Senate in 2026
For 2028, deliver a new proposition for America based on a new vision for prosperity, equity and security. This has to be about delivering hope not fear. Restoring trust and faith in government, science and the economy, so people can once again have confidence that they can achieve the American dream.
Be in absolutely no doubt, part four may well be a road too far for 2028 given the battle that will ensue over the next 16 months. But without ambition there can be no progress at a time when progress is everything.
Identify, own and learn from past mistakes
Every Democratic elected member needs to ask this question and be honest with their answer. Why am I doing this? If your answer does not contain 'For the betterment of my constituents, to give voice to the vulnerable, the unheard and to fight to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and no family is left behind’, you need to find a better way to make a living. To be given the trust of those who elected you is a gift beyond measure. Representation should not be about you or corporate interests; it should be about the people.
Dark money should play no part in politics. Democrats should operate a zero-tolerance policy towards any pay-to-play campaign funding. In addition, every member should pledge not to trade in stocks during their time in Congress or the Senate. Sadly I feel many Democrats may find the former impossible and that’s a problem.
Develop and deploy a strategy to slow down the Republican march
While I understand that Republicans holding a majority in the House and the Senate makes life very difficult for Democrats, leadership should adopt a strategy to obstruct everything from nominees to the passage of any legislative measures undertaken by Trump. The problem with this is that all Republican objectives are set out in their ‘Big Beautiful Bill’, so I don’t anticipate a huge legislative agenda beyond the bill, but one never knows. Trump seems to not care about legislation because he feels he can achieve all his objectives using executive orders, and I certainly don’t see that changing anytime soon.
One critical issue they must get a grip on is voter suppression. This is going to be a huge problem in 2026; Republicans are going to be using EagleAI to target voters that they want to be removed from rolls across the country. This, linked with the Save Act, presents a clear danger to fair elections in 2026. Lawyers should be retained to monitor and fight all attempts to disenfranchise voters. If I were the Democrats, I would also set up a central fund to help low income voters without the requisite papers register to vote so that they can be assisted in obtaining the required voter ID. This needs to start YESTERDAY.
Develop a bold clear and focused strategy to win back the House and Senate in 2026
There needs to be a huge collective effort to put thoughts of 2028 aside and focus purely on taking back seats in 2026. This is where David Hogg's strategy of primarying incumbent Democrats has to be handled VERY carefully. His organisation must NOT put seats at risk in marginal constituencies unless the incumbent is a threat to holding the seat; the big reset can come after the midterms when maybe a structured exit can be better managed.
I believe the Democrats could run a national event to launch the 2026 campaign, using it as a branding exercise to create an overarching strategy for the fight ahead. This should feature all the big name Democrats, ready to fight tyranny. There is no question that those in the arts and film industry can assemble a telethon that could feature top entertainers mixed with a vision for a reimagined Democratic Party. Make it a thing; play Trump at his own game. It could get the fight off to a great start. There are far more qualified branding experts than me, but something like 'A Cry For Freedom'. This would provide an overarching vision, which should then help constituency campaigns. The concept behind this would be to morph this branding into a new 2028 rebranding of election day as 'Freedom Day'.
These are very early thoughts, but the concept of tying together a big vision and how a collective effort country-wide can free America from this tyranny is a strong proposition. There needs to be an alternative policy proposition to the current administration. From this point forward, I would have a Democratic policy unit shadowing government steps laying out why Trump is wrong and what Dems would do if they were in power. This would ensure that at any given moment, the public can be directed to resources showing what life would be like if Democrats were in charge in any particular moment. It would need to be based on an outlined costed position reflective of realistic numbers, etc.
For it to be credible this needs to involve getting a group of policy experts and political scientists together to keep pace with Trump's steps as the months pass. What's unclear is the level of political philanthropy out there if the Democratic Party turned its back on dark money. I would need some guidance on that. This would require funding, as would supporting a broader branding campaign.
If Democrats had any sense, they would operate a department for campaign waste and abuse. I know from having worked with candidates running for public office at the federal level, it’s like being thrown into a den of vipers when it comes to the Democratic gravy train on which a closed shop of strategists, campaign experts and social media gurus hang around like lions on the African Savanna waiting for the great buffalo migration. Spivs waiting to fleece candidates playing the game for the first time. It's like a political gold rush, and candidates are the prey. This needs to stop.
Candidates need access to free webinars and in-person seminars where someone can guide them on how to get maximum benefit from a fair investment in campaign resources. In a world where Trump controls social media, hybrid digital ground games are imperative. There is no replacement for speaking face-to-face with voters, but I know of some phenomenal technology solutions that can be deployed to make campaigns cost-effective. Democrats need tech fast response teams available to ensure campaigns maximise their spend
All this is probably a waste of time because the chances that Democrats will make the required changes is little to none and that is their biggest weakness.
Take a look at this for innovation from Kat Abughazaleh in IL-9. It’s about thinking outside the box and engaging with the people.
Tomorrow, I'll walk you through a social media and messaging strategy that I believe could provide an ideal template for any candidate from federal to state to local race. I think with every fibre of my body that collectively, we can defeat this cancer. I want to play a role in that fight, and I would love to have your support to help the Democratic Party achieve it. On Monday, I’ll post a series of short Ads to highlight the type of content I aim to produce.
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On the day Joe Biden was announced as president in 2020, I stayed up all night to make this ad, and it was one of the most emotional moments of my life. I want to have that feeling again in 2028, and I'd love to have you along for the ride.
I will respond to people’s comments, but I’ll do it in morning friends as I’m shattered after a day of writing a prepping for a video. Day tomorrow.
"Freedom Day" is back to the strategy that the opposing party is taking your freedoms. Remember that the main driver of the GOP win-win-win was the economy. The next slogan has to include everyone being able to have life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (which means economic security.)