Our forthcoming book is The Comeback: The 2024 Elections and American Politics. With the GOP in total control of the federal government, Democrats are figuring out how to respond.
When California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) launched his podcast last week, his comments on transgender athletes made headlines.
Republicans used it to mock how far left Democrats have become. And the podcast, aptly named “This is Gavin Newsom,” also sparked backlash from Democrats.
But the point is, it got some attention — and that’s exactly what Democrats are seeking to do on the heels of their loss in November.
Since then, Democrats have been trying to reclaim the political conversation, anxious to reconnect with voters not just behind a podium or in social media posts. They’re “creating moments,” as one strategist put it, in other ways.
While Newsom, widely seen as a presidential contender for 2028, launched a podcast, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is hitting the road in the coming weeks alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). The duo is expected to speak not just to Democrats but Republicans as well.
Democratic operatives familiar with the matter say they expect other lawmakers to hit the road in blue states, purple states and even red states in an effort to leave the Beltway parlance behind them and speak face-to-face with voters.
