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“Violence and cruelty were just a stupid person’s way of making himself felt because it was easier to use your hands to strike a blow than to use your brain to find a logical and just solution to a problem.” -Anne Holm
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MAKING COWARDLY SENATE REPUBLICANS PAY A POLITICAL PRICE
Voters must understand who is causing their pain By Jennifer Rubin, The Washington Post As justifiably alarmed as Democrats are by President-elect Donald Trump’s radical agenda and his nominations of unqualified candidates for Cabinet positions, these actions may be even more terrifying for Republican senators up for reelection in 2026. (What follows certainly applies to vulnerable GOP House members as well, although they, of course, play no role in confirming nominees.) The 2026 map is somewhat more favorable to Democrats than it was in 2024. For example, the reelection campaigns of Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Thom Tillis of North Carolina will be two of the most hotly contested races. While they hail from comfortably red states, less rabid Republican Sens.Steve Daines of Montana, Mike Rounds of South Dakota and John Cornyn of Texas will also face the voters. That raises a host of questions. Will Collins, who said she was “shocked” at Matt Gaetz’s nomination for attorney general, wind up voting to confirm him or, worse, voting to adjourn the Senate to hide from her constitutional obligations? When it comes to mass immigrant roundups, will Cornyn lift a finger to prevent raids that snare hardworking Texans, disrupt businesses and break up families? Meanwhile, Daines, Rounds and other Republican senators from farming states will have to decide whether to remain mute when across-the-board tariffs drive up farm bankruptcies and destroy the rural economy. In short, Republicans will face a dilemma time and again during the Trump presidency: Go along with the White House or stand up for their constituents. If they choose the latter, they certainly face the potential for a primary challenge from a MAGA Republican. Do they fear appearing too extreme to voters in the general election more than they fear such a challenge? If it’s the general electorate that worries them, they may choose to buck the Trump administration. If they fear MAGA wrath, they are likely to be even more compliant with Trump’s demands. If senators decide to hold their ground, Democrats may find common cause with them to block some of Trump’s more ridiculous nominees and dangerous policy decisions. You might find progressive Democrats such as Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts teaming up with Republicans such as Joni Ernst of Iowa to block tariff legislation that would devastate exporters. Ukraine supporter Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) may line up with former CIA official and Democratic Sen.-elect Elissa Slotkin to block Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination for director of national intelligence. If, as is far more likely, Republicans roll over for Trump, it will be up to Democrats and progressive activists to put intense pressure on those up for reelection in 2026. That will require they immediately begin building the record that Republicans are too extreme for their states, and that a Democratic Senate is needed as a check on the administration. Exposing Republicans’ extremism requires telling voters who is responsible for any resulting damage. How many kids in a given state got sick because of anti-vaccine propaganda? How many farmers went belly-up because of across-the-board tariffs? How many residents lost benefits because of Elon Musk’s anti-government crusade? Democrats need to be expert in finding real-life examples as well as tallying up statistics. They must continually engage with state news outlets and networks of interested voters (Farm Bureau members, parent associations, veterans’ groups, advocates for the disabled). They must find nontraditional ways of communicating with voters — whether that is engaging with civic groups, using social media, forming new advocacy groups (how about a “Moms for Safe Medicine,” to start?) or reaching out to affected professional groups (nurses, teachers, etc.). Consider, for example, the impact of potential administration policies on the disabled community. Eliminating or restricting the Affordable Care Act, abolishing the Education Department, cutting Medicaid and/or repealing cost controls on medications for seniors may have devastating consequences for those living with disabilities — and their families. Democrats’ task will be to connect with just this sort of affected community. Sometimes, Democrats may block the most harmful legislation; more often, the goal will be to make vulnerable senators pay a significant political price for complying with dangerous MAGA policies. It is one thing for senators to keep their heads down when in the minority or to feign ignorance about the latest Trump tweet; it is quite another to try to duck responsibility for policies that affect real people. Democrats should mince no words: A vote to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Health and Human Services secretary is a vote to endanger children. A vote to cut Medicaid is a vote to harm seniors in nursing homes and opioid addicts seeking treatment, and to deprive the working poor of needed coverage. When voters begin to exclaim en masse “We didn’t vote for THAT!,” Democrats will know they are making headway against MAGA policies — and laying the groundwork to return to power in 2027. |