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The continuous spotlight on Donald Trump’s influence is reminiscent of contemplating one’s own mortality: persistently looming, unsettling, and difficult to ignore for too long.
Trump’s apparent success exacerbates the situation. Paramilitary forces are visible on city streets, and immigrants are allegedly detained in secretive facilities. Many Democratic leaders seem inactive in response to this, fostering a sense of despair among voters, as highlighted by a recent poll.
Gavin Newsom’s social media activity, mocking Trump, offers a form of relief. Although it doesn’t halt the MAGA movement, it serves as a symbolic defiance.
Such posts were inconceivable a year ago. In 2021, I was employed by a D.C. firm to manage social media for Democratic candidates, eager to influence the party’s midterm messaging after working on Tom Steyer’s presidential campaign.
With Republicans at their most audacious, notably during the Supreme Court nomination hearings for Ketanji Brown Jackson, I believed a more combative approach was necessary, contrary to the “when they go low, we go high” philosophy.
However, the candidates I worked with were not in agreement. They criticized my assertive tweets as being overly negative. One Senate candidate disapproved of my description of his opponent, arguing it was not dignified.
I eventually complied with their requests, crafting the less confrontational tweets they preferred. Following a disappointing election outcome for most of these candidates, I was dismissed.
Though Newsom’s social media presence won’t single-handedly transform the political landscape, its popularity might prompt Democrats to reassess their communication tactics amidst growing authoritarianism. Despite not holding power in any branch of government, Democrats can still control their narrative.
Elie Mystal discussed in The Nation the impact of small acts of defiance, noting, “I know these kinds of individualized, person-to-person acts of political and social resistance work… because it’s what the bad guys do. They don’t let their individual feelings of powerlessness stop them from using what power they have maximally. They don’t despair—they get angry.”
This is evidently Newsom’s approach.
Amidst the current challenges, the potential revitalization of the Democratic Party in response to Trump could emerge as a significant narrative of our time.
ICYMI
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent commented that a specific part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act acts as a “backdoor for privatizing Social Security.”
Given its popularity and role in preventing poverty among 16.3 million Americans aged 65 and older, Social Security changes are often considered untouchable in U.S. politics.
American Journal News contacted 31 out of 35 vulnerable House Republicans up for re-election in 2026 to gauge their stance on Bessent’s claim. None responded.
Read more: Vulnerable House GOP silent on Bessent’s Social Security privatization claim
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Senator Susan Collins of Maine stands as the sole Republican from a state lost by Trump in 2024. The Democrats’ hopes to regain Senate control may depend on her defeat.
Graham Platner, a veteran and oysterman, is among the Democrats challenging Collins. His campaign video targets billionaires, advocates for universal healthcare, and calls for ending the Gaza conflict.
Notably, Platner shares a communications consultant with Zohran Mamdani and Dan Osborn. Check it out!
2028 WATCH… Ruben Gallego met with donors… Raham Emanuel met with the WSJ editorial board…
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