Democrats Revive 2018 Strategy to Reconnect with Voters for 2026 Midterms Amid Trump’s Second Term Challenges

Democrats are revisiting strategies from the 2018 midterms to address voter skepticism and prepare for the 2026 elections. With only 30% of Americans viewing the party as in touch with public concerns, Democrats aim to regain momentum through grassroots engagement and candidate recruitment. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, led by Rep. Suzan DelBene, targets 35 Republican-held districts. Democrats plan to focus on local issues and economic messaging, countering Republican policies. While some Democrats consider impeachment of Trump, party leaders remain cautious, focusing instead on economic concerns and public safety to appeal to voters.

Democrats Confront Familiar Perception Problem

According to a recent Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, only 30% of Americans believe the Democratic Party is “in touch with the concerns of most people in the United States today,” trailing Republicans by five points on that metric. This mirrors the party’s standing in early 2017, when Democrats were similarly viewed as disconnected from the electorate. However, by the 2018 midterms, Democrats had reversed that perception, gaining a nine-point advantage and flipping 40 House seats.

Party strategists are now looking to replicate that turnaround. “We weren’t waiting. We showed up in all parts of America,” recalled Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), who chaired the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) during the 2018 cycle. That strategy included contesting seats in traditionally Republican strongholds like rural Virginia and Orange County, California.

A Renewed Focus on Candidate Recruitment and Local Engagement

The DCCC, now led by Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA), has released a target list of 35 Republican-held districts, including several that were previously considered safe GOP territory. The committee is prioritizing early candidate recruitment, particularly individuals with strong community ties and moderate profiles that can appeal to swing voters.

In 2018, Democrats found success with candidates like Lauren Underwood, a registered nurse who unseated a Republican incumbent in Illinois after he voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. DelBene expects similar stories to emerge in 2026. “People are feeling the damage that’s been done by this administration already so early, and people want to stand up,” she said. “We have folks who want to run across the country.”

To counter the perception of being out of touch, Democrats are also holding town halls in Republican districts—often in areas where GOP lawmakers have avoided in-person events. “We want to make sure that people’s stories are being heard,” DelBene emphasized.

Learning from Trump’s First Term

Democrats are also drawing strategic insights from Trump’s first presidency. In 2018, the party capitalized on public backlash to Republican efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and pass large tax cuts that were widely seen as favoring the wealthy. This time, Democrats are preparing to highlight similar themes, as Republicans push to make those tax cuts permanent by cutting Medicaid and other social programs.

The Democratic Strategist notes that while Trump’s actions have often been “directly horrifying and harmful,” the party’s focus now must be on “self-help and improving their public image.” This includes addressing voter concerns about economic stewardship, immigration, and public safety—areas where Democrats have recently lost ground.

The inflation of 2022–2023 and concerns over irregular immigration have eroded public trust in Democratic leadership on key issues. Democrats acknowledge that simply opposing Trump is not enough. In 2018, only 11% of Democratic campaign ads mentioned Trump directly. Instead, the party focused on local issues and policy proposals that resonated with voters.

Impeachment Talk: A Double-Edged Sword

While some Democratic lawmakers, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI), have floated the idea of impeaching Trump if Democrats regain the House, party leadership remains cautious. Officially, impeachment is not part of the party’s stated agenda. However, polling suggests the issue could energize the Democratic base: 84% of Democrats and 55% of independents support the idea, along with 20% of Republican voters.

Republicans, meanwhile, are using the threat of impeachment as a rallying cry. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) warned that a Democratic majority would “grind the agenda to a halt” with impeachment proceedings. Trump himself is expected to play a direct role in the midterms, using his political capital and campaign funds to mobilize his base.

Economic Anxiety and the Messaging Battle

Economic concerns remain a central issue for voters. A recent YouGov-Economist poll found that 40% of Americans believe the country is in a recession, with Democrats more likely than Republicans to hold that view. This economic anxiety presents both a challenge and an opportunity for Democrats.

In 2018, Democrats successfully framed Republican tax policies as benefiting the wealthy at the expense of working families. They are now preparing to use similar messaging against Trump’s economic agenda, particularly if Republicans pursue cuts to social safety nets to fund tax extensions.

The DCCC’s strategy includes flipping the script on Republican messaging, just as they did in 2018. “We’ve lost the messaging battle,” a Republican National Committee report admitted shortly before the 2018 election. Democrats hope to repeat that outcome by focusing on kitchen-table issues and presenting themselves as the party of economic fairness.

Fighting Everywhere, Again

The Democratic Party’s 2026 strategy echoes its 2018 mantra: “Fight everywhere.” This includes investing in districts that have not traditionally been competitive. The DCCC’s expanded target list reflects a belief that Trump’s polarizing leadership and the Republican Congress’s alignment with his agenda have created new opportunities.

Democrats are also working to avoid the complacency that some strategists fear could set in. As James Carville warned, simply waiting for Republicans to implode is not a viable strategy. Active engagement, policy clarity, and local presence are seen as essential to rebuilding trust with voters.

References

• The Democratic Strategist – Political Strategy for a Permanent Democratic Majority
• MAGA goes global: Trump’s plan for Europe
• Approval of Donald Trump, recession fears, financial anxiety, and grading universities: May 2-5, 2025 Economist/YouGov Poll | YouGov
• Poll: Democrats Pledging to Impeach Trump Could Help Their 2026 Midterm Chances