Donald Trump has handed yet another "gift to Democrats" as he talks up the affordability crisis, according to an ex-lawmaker.
The president is currently on a rallying tour to boast of his second term's successes, but a Democratic analyst and former lawmaker believes issues that can be seen "throughout the country" are the real talking points. Bakari Sellers, a former South Carolina lawmaker, says the Dems need to take full advantage of this in the lead-up to the midterms as it will make all the difference next year.
Speaking to The New York Times, Sellers said, "It is a gift to Democrats, and I think this is the one time that the Democrats have been disciplined enough to home in on one message. And between this and health care, you have winning issues. And you’re seeing that throughout the country."
Despite the ongoing economic crisis across the country, Trump suggested there was no such crisis at play. He told the rural Pennsylvania audience, "Our prices are coming down tremendously." He had previously referred to the affordability crisis as a "hoax".
Fellow political experts believe the timing is right for Democrats to make a "once-in-a-generation" shift in power. Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee president Heather Williams has outlined exactly what candidates need to do between now and November 2026 for a post-election environment that could see the Democrats sweep the House and Congress.
Williams said, "This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fundamentally transform legislative power. We are looking at the makings of an environment that looks more like 2010 in reverse." It takes just 19 seats on the map for new majorities and trifectas, according to Williams.
She said, "Democrats in the states lost a lot of ground in 2010 and in the couple of elections after that, and in that rebuild process, the map changed a lot. What we are saying in this update to the target map—and frankly, our broader strategy—is that we must show up in these red states."
"When you think about the long term trajectory of Democrats and our success as a party, we need to recognize these moments of power, and these states where Republicans have been competing, and we need to show up for voters."