By Kevin Harris and Richard McDaniel
There’s an old saying in the hip-hop community: “Men lie, women lie, numbers don ‘t.” In this political climate of lies, corruption, and misinformation, working families deserve numbers that work in their favor, especially when it comes to the economy and their wallets.
But the latest numbers tell a hard truth that Democrats can’t ignore. A recent Wall Street Journal poll shows that out of every 10 Americans, more than 6 view the Democratic Party unfavorably. That’s the worst showing in over 30 years. Put simply: for every person who likes what Democrats are doing, two others don’t.
This should keep every Democrat awake at night: even when voters don’t like how Trump handles the economy, they still trust Republicans more than Democrats to fix it. It’s like saying you don’t trust the mechanic who broke your car, but you’d still rather have him work on it than the other guy.
As Democratic pollster John Anzalone bluntly admitted: “The Democratic brand is so bad that they don’t have the credibility to be a critic of Trump or the Republican Party.”
No wonder Democrats lost ground in the 2024 election with every demographic except Black women. Trump made historic inroads with Black and brown voters, which says more about declining trust in the Democratic Party than any real enthusiasm for Trump.
Despite dismal favorability numbers, there’s hope. The Wall Street Journal poll also found voters are willing to give Democrats another chance if the party can prove it deserves one.
Congress is now in August recess, when members return home to reconnect with constituents. For Democrats, this month isn’t vacation time; it’s a lifeline. While Republicans flee tough questions, Democrats can prove they’re listening through town halls, door-knocking, and direct engagement with working families who’ve lost faith in the party.
To prove our value, Democrats must remember that being anti-Trump isn’t enough. We’ve run on that message for three presidential elections, losing twice while Republicans secured governing majorities.
Instead, Democrats need to say what we’re for and what we’ll do once we have power again. In 2006, Nancy Pelosi led Democrats back to power with her brilliant “Six for ‘06” campaign, focusing on wages, retirement security, affordable healthcare, and college.
Democrats must meet voters where they are. This means maintaining a consistent drumbeat message on affordability instead of responding to daily Trump controversies. Working-class voters, including Black and brown Americans who form the backbone of our coalition, are stressed about rising costs. We can’t only oppose tariffs because Trump supports them, we must oppose them because they make everything from groceries to cars more expensive. We can’t just oppose ICE raids because they’re cruel, we must oppose them because they disrupt supply chains and raise prices for working families.
Democrats need to model courage over fear. Pete Buttigieg recently noted Democrats have been “too attached to a status quo that has been failing us.” He’s right. Democrats should stop letting fear police our messaging and start taking bold positions that serve working families and communities of color. It’s time to be unapologetic about who we’re fighting for.
While Democrats debate messaging, Republicans are executing a comprehensive strategy to lock in power for decades. Trump’s team is putting “maximum pressure” on red states to redraw congressional maps before 2026, with Vice President JD Vance personally visiting Indiana to push redistricting efforts. Beyond Texas, Republicans are targeting Ohio, Missouri, Florida, and other states, potentially netting 10 or more House seats through gerrymandering alone.
Even more concerning, Trump has announced plans for a new census designed to exclude undocumented immigrants from congressional apportionment, a move that would fundamentally reshape representation and strip seats from diverse, Democratic-leaning areas.
This is the Republican playbook. Change the rules when you can’t win the game fairly. While they’re playing chess, too many Democrats are still playing checkers.
This August recess isn’t just an opportunity, it’s time to make a stand. Democrats must use this month to build the coalition and trust needed to counter an unprecedented assault on democratic representation. The question isn’t whether Democrats can recover. The question is: when will we start capitalizing on Trump’s overreach by speaking plainly about what we’re for, who we’re for, and what we’ll do if we have power again?
Kevin Harris and Richard McDaniel are veteran Democratic strategists with over 100 political campaigns between them, including the past five presidential elections. They co-host “Maroon Bison Presents: The Southern Comfort Podcast.”
