Democratic operatives and party officials are still trying to understand why they lost last year’s Presidential election. This week’s Democratic primary in New Jersey presented Democratic voters with a rainbow of platforms and talking points from far left to center right.
Perhaps the genius of Mikie Sherrill’s campaign was the way they navigated policy positions that might bind the candidate too tightly to ideas in June that might make her unelectable in November and damage the Democrats opportunity to win a majority in the House of Representatives in the 2026 midterms.
To defeat the Republican candidate in November 2025 and to win the 2026 midterm elections, Democrats need to re-invent the Democratic brand and develop a persuasive Democratic message. Mikie Sherrill is now the leader of the Democratic party, and she will have a lot to say about the party’s re-branding.
Polls, focus groups and talking to people in their living rooms will eventually deliver answers to the Democratic party’s re-brand, but there is a tool in the Democratic tool kit that is not obvious—Fox News.
Fox News has been quietly laying out a blueprint—albeit unintentionally—for how Democrats can lose. But, reverse-engineer that coverage, and you have a road map showing how Democrats can win.
Watch What Fox Covers When Trump Slips
Whenever Trump is caught in a controversy—legal trouble, inflammatory statements, or gaffes—Fox News hardly mentions it. They pivot, but not randomly. They consistently turn to four culturally charged topics that play well with their audience: transgender athletes, illegal immigration, gender identity(including pronouns), and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion).
The pivot is not just news coverage strategy—it’s a playbook. These issues are unpopular with the majority of Americans, andmost agree that these are the issues that gave rise to Donald Trump. Therefore, if Democrats want to win in the 2026 mid-terms, they must re-invent themselves and reframe their messaging.
1. Transgender Athletes: Balancing Inclusion and Fairness
This issue is a lightning rod. According to a January 2025 New York Times/Ipsos poll, nearly 80% of Americans—including a majority of Democrats—oppose letting transgender women compete in women’s sports. For many voters, this isn’t about hate—it’s about perceived fairness.
Democrats need to thread the needle. Protecting transgender rights is non-negotiable, but that does not mean ignoring biological differences in competitive sports. Democrats need to acknowledge the complexity of the issue, support local discretion, and move the conversation gently toward inclusion without alienating moderates.
2. Immigration: Own the Problem & Offer Real Solutions
The “open border” narrative is powerful, and unfortunately, it resonates. Democrats have lost credibility by dodging the issue. Voters saw the chaos at the border under Joe Biden and they want accountability.
In a May 2025 Reuters/Ipsos poll, 62% of Americans said they disapprove of the way Democrats are handling immigration, while only 34% approve. Among independents, disapproval rises to nearly 70%.
Democrats need to acknowledge that the system is broken, and they need to present a concrete plan: better and more humane enforcement of immigration laws, increased quotas for legal immigration reflecting labor demands, tech-driven monitoring, more immigration judges for faster processing. Common sense must prevail.
3. Pronouns & Identity and Woke Politics
Democrats have gone too left of center with what is now referred to as “woke politics.” The enlightenment era ideal the founders expressed in the Declaration of Independence and in the constitution written 11 years later is deeply embedded in the American consciousness. The freedom and liberty of one personshould be respected and absent of government interference as long as it does not interfere with the freedom and liberty of someone else.
Americans bristle when government intrudes on personal liberty. Forced pronoun use or legally mandated workplace policies that seem invasive and overbearing can turn cultural sympathy into resentment and dissent.
A 2024 Pew Research Center survey found that 65% of Americans believe gender is determined by sex assigned at birth. Even among Democrats, over 40% expressed discomfort with laws requiring people to use others’ preferred pronouns in professional or educational settings.
Democrats should carry the mantle of liberty and lead byespousing the principals of the founders on this point. Individuals should be free to express themselves and self-identify however they would like without discrimination, but the law should not restrict the freedom of other individuals by compelling them to comply with their wishes. Protect people’s individual rights—Yes. But don’t use the force of law to compel others to comply.
4. DEI: A Business Case, Not a Culture War
Diversity, equity, and inclusion have become buzzwords—and easy targets for the right. Fox News frames DEI as an overreach–a punitive system of preferences that hurts meritocracy. Democrats, meanwhile, have failed to sell DEI to the broader public in practical terms.
According to a Gallup survey conducted in March 2025, only 38% of respondents said they had a positive view of DEI initiatives in government and education, while 51% said they believed these programs “go too far.” Support was higher among younger voters and people of color but dropped significantly among older and independent voters.
Time to shift the narrative. DEI is good business. Companies that reflect America’s diversity perform better, innovate faster, and understand their consumers better. Emphasize return on investment, not social justice. Make equity about outcomes, not ideology.
Every nation and every individual, for that matter, has regrets in varying degrees. Often, it is our mistakes and our regrets that make us who we are. Without a time machine we cannot change these things. All we can do is draw from our mistakes and regrets to change things going forward.
The Real Decider: The Economy
Cultural debates grab headlines, but when voters enter the booth, they think about their wallets. And here, Democrats are losing ground. Recent polls show Republicans lead on economic trust by as much as 12 points. Inflation, wages, healthcare costs, and student loans dominate household conversations—and Democrats need to do more than just sympathize.
Democrats need to show they have a plan. The plan mustaddress cost-of-living pressures, invest in middle-class opportunity, and convince working people that government can still work for them.
Takeaways: A New Playbook
Fox News might be the most useful political feedback Democrats have. Watch what they highlight, then ask why it’s working, not to mimic it—but to respond smarter, sharper, and with broader appeal.
If Democrats hope to win the mid-term elections next year, they don’t need to shift to the right. They need to stop talking and start listening. They need to take ownership that Donald Trump exists because the Democrats overstepped the boundaries of many Americans and went too far using government to invade the personal liberty and freedom of the individual.
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