The leadership of the Democratic Party seems to be relying heavily on anti-Trump sentiments rather than engaging in meaningful self-reflection, conducting open primaries, or fostering robust policy debates. Alarmingly, many of their supporters appear content with this approach.
Anti-Trump Sentiment Led to Significant Democratic Victories in 2025
A series of successful outcomes in the 2025 elections, including gubernatorial contests in New Jersey and Virginia and a close race in traditionally Republican areas, has prompted Democratic leadership to shy away from addressing the setbacks of 2024.
Analysis from Bolts provides insight:
Trump’s return to power has been accompanied by several Republican defeats, highlighted by Democrats winning all 13 statewide elections in November and making significant local gains.
With Tuesday’s contests nearly concluded, including a surprising victory in a Georgia state House seat, the struggles of the GOP in legislative races are becoming evident.
Fueled by Trump’s dwindling popularity and an energized base, Democrats flipped 21% of all Republican-held seats on the ballot in 2025.
According to Bolts’ analysis, Democrats seized 25 state Senate and House seats from the GOP out of the 118 that were contested in regular or special elections this year.
This trend shows stronger momentum than in 2017 when Democrats managed to flip 20% of GOP-held legislative seats.
Current indicators suggest that these trends may persist into the 2026 congressional elections.
DNC Uses Anti-Trump Sentiment to Sidestep 2024 Analysis
A few electoral victories and favorable polls were sufficient for Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin to justify his decision to avoid releasing the 2024 “after action report” he initially promised this year, according to The New York Times.
Party officials conducted over 300 interviews with Democrats across all 50 states to compile a document that Mr. Martin once deemed essential for shaping a forward path.
However, Mr. Martin has decided to keep the findings confidential, believing that an open and painful reflection on the past would be counterproductive as the party embarks on the crucial task of reclaiming congressional power next year, as stated by a DNC representative who spoke anonymously.
“Our guiding principle is: Does this help us win?” said Mr. Martin. “If the answer is no, it detracts from our core mission.”
The core mission seems to focus on raising and allocating substantial financial resources:
Some Democratic donors are demanding a clearer account of how the party, alongside Ms. Harris, utilized $1.5 billion in just 15 weeks, ultimately losing every battleground state in 2024.
Following the elections, it was revealed that former top Biden aide Mike Donilon received $4 million from the campaign, despite not having significantly worked with the Harris campaign after the Biden ticket ended.
The Bulwark points out that certain consulting teams have powerful reasons to keep the report hidden:
Those familiar with the matter say several important stakeholders have lobbied the DNC to avoid their names appearing in the report. Key consultants from the Biden-Harris campaign privately urged the DNC to shield them from scrutiny. Additionally, there are rumors within Democratic circles that Future Forward—the leading super PAC supporting Democrats, which secured $613 million from donors last year—pressured the DNC regarding their image.
Moreover, burying the report may be an attempt to conceal other uncomfortable realities:
Wonder why https://t.co/xRxY7Trueq pic.twitter.com/GfUOYgEHnq
— Hamid Bendaas 🇩🇿🇵🇸🇮🇷 (@HBendaas) December 18, 2025
Martin’s choice provoked immediate backlash from various figures, including former DNC member David Hogg, AOC’s chief of staff Mike Casca, Bernie Sanders advisor Jeff Weaver, and Massachusetts Senate Candidate Seth Moulton.
However, this discontent seems to matter little to Martin and the Democratic leadership.
Anti-Trump Sentiment Influencing 2026 Polling
Current polling data has Democratic Party officials feeling complacent:
— Nat Wilson Turner (@natwilsonturner) December 22, 2025
They feel so secure that they’ve expressed concerns about primary challenges to incumbent Democrats from the left.
What Part of ‘Let’s Coasting on Anti-Trump Sentiment’ Do Progressives Fail to Grasp?
CNN’s article titled “‘They’re attacking their own’: DC Democrats irked by surge of left-wing challengers with House majority on the line” reflects this sentiment.
Democrats in Washington view primaries as a normal occurrence in a large, diverse party. However, many privately regard the influx of far-left challengers as an unwelcome distraction from the primary objective of seizing control of Congress next November. This is particularly frustrating for vulnerable members who worry that resources may be diverted from the larger battle against the GOP to safeguard incumbents in secure seats.
“Some individuals seem caught up in the moment, influenced by social media,” noted Rep. Greg Meeks, a New York Democrat. “They’re missing the bigger picture, as their anger should be directed toward the President, requiring us to unite behind candidates like Grace [Meng] and Adriano [Espaillat].”
Rep. Juan Vargas of California was even more straightforward: “The real issue is that they’re attacking their own. We should be focusing on the opposition. We will end up spending energy and resources fighting among ourselves. It’s counterproductive.”
Top Democrats express confidence that most incumbents will prevail, but acknowledge that the numerous contests between incumbents and liberal challengers highlight the younger, more progressive candidates’ determination to steer the party leftward, ushering in a new generation.
And amidst a stale and entrenched leadership, there’s a strong resistance to welcoming this new wave.
Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY), who gained notoriety for his role in Trump’s first impeachment, now faces “the political fight of his life” against NYC Comptroller Brad Lander (NC readers may recall Lander from earlier coverage).
Yet, as pointed out by Zephyr Teachout, Goldman’s prosecution of Trump has some notable shortcomings:
“I remember when Goldman failed to include foreign emoluments violations—Trump profiting off the Saudis—in his first impeachment. It was a shocking oversight; Trump’s foreign corruption is a significant political vulnerability.”
Nevertheless, a significant issue with the optimistic narrative surrounding congressional Democrats is that they are broadly unliked, regardless of the anti-Trump feelings.
Dems Are Historically Unpopular, Just Less So Than Trump
A recent Quinnipiac poll indicates that congressional Democrats are unpopular, even with anti-Trump sentiments lingering.
A CNN analyst succinctly captured this reality:
Cong Dems now have a -55 net approval, an all-time low & lower than the Dead Sea.
2 causes: Dems give them a -6 pt net approval(!), & they’re at -61 pts with indies!
The effect? Dems lead on the generic ballot is less than half of what it was at this point in the 06 & 18 cycles. pic.twitter.com/Os17D7BkHR
— (((Harry Enten))) (@ForecasterEnten) December 18, 2025
So why do voters disapprove of congressional Democrats? There are numerous concerns.
Anti-Trump Sentiment Masks Various Democratic Failures
While I could delve into Democrats’ hesitance to engage with AI regulation, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s long-standing inability to pursue Medicare for All, or even the ongoing political presence of Kamala Harris, there’s one incident that has been particularly troubling.
Let’s focus on Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), one of the party’s least popular members.
Jeffries’ Endorsement of Trump’s Cuellar Pardon
Cuellar and his spouse were indicted by federal prosecutors in early 2024 for allegedly accepting nearly $600,000 in bribes from Azerbaijan and a Mexican bank to manipulate defense spending legislation. He also coordinated actions that benefited the payday lending industry, among other misconduct.
Initially, it seemed Cuellar’s political career might be over, much to the relief of progressive Democrats in the area who nearly defeated him in 2022. However, on December 3, Trump issued a pardon, framing it as a defense of truthfulness.
Contrary to Trump’s expectations, Cuellar filed for re-election as a Democrat, rather than switching parties.
Cuellar therefore falls short of even Simon Cameron’s definition of an honest politician, as “one who stays bought.”
This unusual situation explains why Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries praised Trump’s pardon of Cuellar, stating to CNN:
“I’m not sure why the President took this action, but the result is the right one. The indictment was seemingly weak and was destined for dismissal, either at the trial court or by the Supreme Court.”
Cuellar appears to be an indispensable “rotating villain” who consistently votes against the party’s stated interests.
For instance, Cuellar was among six House Democrats endorsing the conclusion of the government shutdown. Quite the team player!
Pelosi seemingly appreciated Cuellar because he was frequently the lone House Democrat opposing abortion rights. This unique trait certainly comes with a price, especially if you’re willing to accept $600,000 in bribes.
J.P. Cooney and Molly Gaston, former DOJ anti-corruption prosecutors, criticized this situation in a recent New York Times piece:
As former federal prosecutors, we perceive this as an effort to circle the wagons. The detailed, multilayered indictment against Mr. Cuellar was substantial, and he deserved a jury trial.
Mr. Jeffries’ endorsement of Cuellar’s pardon indicates a concerning trend among Democratic leaders who may be willing to align with Trump’s undermining of the justice system for political gain. To combat this corruption, strong opposition is necessary, advocating for the rule of law—failing to do so only deepens public skepticism toward both the government and the justice system.
Surprisingly, these critics seem to overlook the strategic role Rep. Cuellar plays, consistently breaking from party lines. He is one of just two Democrats who voted against a resolution preventing unauthorized military action against Venezuela, thus ensuring its failure.
Despite the nine Democrats who abstained from voting, they impacted the situation in their own way.
Addtionally, even though the “pervy GOP Bill allowing strip searches of migrant children” would have succeeded without his vote, Cuellar was one of seven Democrats in favor of it.
My cynical humor may serve as a more entertaining outlet than venting in all caps or drowning my keyboard in frustration.
Blue MAGA Voters Get The Party They Want
This exploration of the powerful influence of anti-Trump sentiment is enhanced by an article on “The Cult of Blue MAGA” by Evelyn Quartz, which sheds light on why corrupt and ineffective Democratic officials gain enduring support.
…politics is less about governance and more about the performance of politics in an orchestrated manner.
…
For the Democratic establishment, the essence of politics lies in the conflict itself—not in addressing real-life issues that impact people’s lives like housing, healthcare, and job security. They predominantly endorse corporatist policies that have eroded these essential needs. Instead, there’s a focus on viral moments and flashy statements.What occurs when critique is selective, only surfacing when it serves political ends? You create a cult-like environment.
Many ardent anti-Trump liberals passionately proclaim that Trump supporters are in a “MAGA cult.”
…
Yet this very crowd often fails to recognize their own entrapment in a different kind of cult. Where the MAGA cult revolves around Trump, “Blue MAGA” fixates on opposing Trump, both existing in a closed loop. Attempting to tell either group they’re in a cult typically provokes defensiveness and dismissal.There’s a common refrain among liberals: “I think for myself.” I believe they genuinely hold this view. However, when conversations shift to topics like the Israel lobby or the military-industrial complex, dialogue quickly halts. These critical issues define the landscape where significant political maneuvers take place, yet for many in Blue MAGA, dissent is often taboo.
…
Politics as it currently stands does not engage with reality. Instead, we witness a staged battle of heroes versus villains, obscuring our humanity and the universal desires for safety, community, dignified work, and access to quality healthcare. These are fundamental desires, and politicians know this, which is why they often pay lip service to them. Nevertheless, their actions diverge from these ideals, leaving crucial needs out of reach for millions. The typical political climate has profoundly failed its constituents.
Will Democrats and their Blue MAGA supporters realize that anti-Trump sentiment is unlikely to endure beyond his second term for long enough to pivot their approach?
Stay tuned, but don’t expect change anytime soon.
