A former top advisor to former President Bill Clinton cautioned Democrats that despite President Donald Trump's weak approval ratings, political realities could limit the party's chances of regaining significant ground in next year's midterm elections.
Sosnik Cites Political Realignment Over Trump Factor
Doug Sosnik, who served as a senior White House adviser during Clinton's presidency, said in a memo obtained by Politico that Democrats should not expect the kind of sweeping midterm victories historically seen by opposition parties.
While Trump's unpopularity on issues such as the economy and inflation suggests Democrats could gain seats, Sosnik argued that long-term political shifts favor Republicans.
"The reason for this has less to do with the Democrats' historically low approval rating than with a political realignment that began forming long before Donald Trump ever ran for president," Sosnik wrote.
"We may be living in the Age of Trump, but the President should be viewed as the symptom, not the cause of these structural changes in American politics."
Democrats' Reliance On College-Educated Voters
Sosnik noted Democrats have increasingly depended on college-educated voters while losing support among working-class and rural voters since the 1990s.
With fewer competitive districts and GOP advantages in redistricting and fundraising, he warned that Democrats’ path to reclaiming power is narrow.
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Warren Calls Out Texas GOP Over ‘Blatant Power Grab’
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) posted on X on Wednesday, accusing Texas Republicans of being "afraid of voters" and resorting to undemocratic tactics to maintain power.
She said the GOP's actions were "clear evidence" of their unpopularity, calling the moves a "blatant power grab" that "can't go unanswered."
She warned the situation marked "uncharted territory" for democracy and urged Democrats to "fight like it."
Democrats Fear GOP's Medicaid Cut Delays Could Undermine 2026 Midterm Strategy
In July, it was reported that Democrats were concerned the impact of Republican Medicaid cuts might not materialize in time to sway voters in the 2026 midterms.
Republicans had delayed the implementation of Medicaid cuts that Democrats were counting on to strengthen their position. The GOP pushed work requirements to 2027 and financing changes to 2028, while front-loading their One Big Beautiful Bill Act with tax breaks expected to be noticed sooner.
The delay raised fears among Democrats that Medicaid-centered messaging would fail to connect with voters ahead of the November 2026 elections, weakening their strategy to capitalize on backlash against Trump's legislation.
The development followed sharp criticism of Republicans' "Big Beautiful Bill." Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers warned of major impacts on working families.
while Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) denounced the bill as a "gift to the billionaire class" that would cause significant harm to millions of Americans.
In August, Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Republicans were “scared they would lose the House after gutting Medicaid and food aid” and were “cheating openly,” while arguing that California voters would “save our health care and Democracy.”
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
