Democrats Urged to Pair Trump Oversight With Results
After major gains in the midterm elections, Democrats face a choice about how to use their new political strength: focus on investigations of President Donald Trump’s administration or find areas where they can work with him. The party has already outlined inquiries into immigration enforcement, Trump’s business interests and Justice Department actions, while some newly elected Democrats argue that governing should take priority over partisan conflict.
At a two-day conference in Denver, Iowa Gov.-elect Rob Sand said Democrats should avoid making investigations and impeachment the center of their approach, especially on matters already covered publicly. He said voters struggling with high gas prices need officials focused on improving their lives, and argued Democrats must work with Trump because voters chose him and he will remain in office for two more years.
Sen.-elect James Talarico of Texas also urged cooperation, saying Americans should not have to wait for longer-term reforms to see change. He called for making Trump’s final two years productive and warned Democrats against getting caught up in petty disputes.
Democratic strategist Lis Smith cautioned that the election was more a rejection of Trump than an endorsement of Democrats’ policies. She urged the party to address affordability and corruption, instead of treating its victories as support for policies that were not part of its campaign. A Reuters/Ipsos poll published this month found nearly three-quarters of Americans wanted congressional Democrats to make a sustained attempt to cooperate with Trump.
Democrats Must Deliver, Not Let Trump Set the Agenda
Democrats have an opportunity to turn their midterm gains into practical improvements, and newly elected leaders in Denver warned against squandering it on partisan combat. Their message: voters struggling with high costs need results now, even as the party pursues longer-term reforms and holds the administration accountable.
Iowa Gov.-elect Rob Sand cautioned Democrats against centering their new momentum on investigations and impeachment, particularly over matters already aired publicly. He said people facing high gas prices need public servants focused on serving them, and argued that Democrats must work with Trump because he remains president for two more years.
Sen.-elect James Talarico of Texas likewise urged cooperation, saying Americans cannot wait two years for change. He called on Democrats to make Trump’s remaining time in office productive, rather than lose ground in petty fights. A poll published this month found nearly three-quarters of Americans wanted congressional Democrats to try to work with the president.
That does not mean treating the election as a blank check. Strategist Lis Smith said the results reflected voters’ rejection of Trump more than an endorsement of Democrats’ policies. She warned against claiming a mandate for policies that were not campaigned on and urged the party to address costs and corruption. Democrats can govern while scrutinizing the administration; they should not confuse oversight with a substitute for helping people.
Democrats Warned Not to Mistake Anti-Trump Votes for a Mandate
Even after major midterm gains, Democrats’ own strategists are warning that the party has not earned a sweeping mandate for its agenda. At a Denver conference, newly elected officials argued that voters want results, not a fixation on investigating President Donald Trump and fighting Republicans.
Strategist Lis Smith said the election was largely a rebuke of Trump, not a validation of Democrats’ policies. She urged the party to concentrate on costs and corruption and not treat its victories as approval for policies that candidates had not campaigned on. That is a sharp caution to Democrats tempted to read electoral gains as permission to move toward positions supported by only a handful of candidates.
Iowa Gov.-elect Rob Sand said Democrats should not make investigations and impeachment their main focus, particularly when issues have already been covered. He said people struggling with high gas prices need results, and insisted that Democrats must work with Trump during the two years he has left in office.
Sen.-elect James Talarico of Texas also called for cooperation, arguing that Americans cannot wait for longer-term reforms. The case for working with the president is not just a conference message: a Reuters/Ipsos poll published this month found nearly three-quarters of Americans wanted congressional Democrats to try earnestly to cooperate with him. If Democrats want their gains to last, they will have to show voters they can deliver rather than turn every issue into another partisan fight.
Reported by Fox News, The Washington Examiner.
