Latest news with #UniteTheCountry
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats seek to close social media gap with GOP, Trump
Democrats are grappling with how to up their game on social media following an election cycle where they acknowledged they were trounced by Republicans on platforms like X, Instagram, and YouTube. In recent focus groups and polls, Democrats have pressed for answers on why they failed to connect with voters on the platforms in 2024. So far, they have concluded it was both a message and messenger problem. But political observers say that Democrats were also missing the mark on social media. New polling by the Democratic super PAC Unite the Country, for example, revealed that social media is the third most popular way for voters to get their news. But Democratic spending on social media pales in comparison to the consistency and efficacy of Republican efforts online. 'There's a twofold problem,' said Democratic strategist Steve Schale, who is also the CEO of Unite the Country. 'I think they're light-years ahead of us. … But also, I think … we're not trusted by enough voters in enough parts of the country to be able to push back.' Elizabeth Sena, the Democratic pollster who conducted the survey for Unite the Country, said this disparity counts social media and other modes of communication, like cable TV and online news sites. Sena also said Unite the Country's poll showed the 'fractured environment' in which people receive information. 'People get information multiple different ways, and being able to access all of those different ways … is one of the things that Republicans did well,' she said. 'They hit all of the different channels.' President Trump's campaign was backed by an army of already established conservative influencers and podcasters, such as Tucker Carlson, Charlie Kirk and Theo Von, among many others, who successfully sold their broad audiences on Trump. Clips from their shows also circulated all over social media, allowing them to go viral — and reach new parts of the electorate in some cases. In the three-and-a-half years before November 2024, Republicans consistently outspent Democrats on social media until the party poured in $30 million right before Election Day, as revealed in a report last year by the Democratic super PAC Tech for Campaigns. The report showed that while Democratic campaigns typically outspent Republican efforts on social media, Republicans focused their funding more effectively on persuasion and mobilization content as opposed to fundraising pleas. Most recently, on the heels of the New York City mayoral primary, Democrats have pointed to Zohran Mamdani, the progressive upstart-turned-party nominee, as an example of how Democratic campaigns can leverage the power of social media. Mamdani, relying predominantly on Instagram and TikTok, clawed his way from obscurity to winning the primary. He amassed his own following of more than 4.5 million across the two platforms and collaborated with various social media influencers in New York City throughout his campaign. Political observers say the strategy put him on the radars of young, first-time voters and created an energy around his campaign that motivated voters to the polls. Mamdani drove home his message of affordability on social media and frequently tried to draw the contrast between himself and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), his main competition in the race. In a 30-second video posted to his Instagram and TikTok accounts four days before Election Day, Mamdani could be seen walking with his sleeves rolled up surrounded by a crowd of his supporters delivering a message directly to voters. 'Everyone knows what's on the ballot this June 24th,' he said in the post, which has upward of 1.5 million views across Instagram and TikTok. 'It's whether we can actually afford the city that we call our home, and our campaign is fighting exactly for that.' 'We're fighting through the most amount of money that has ever been spent by a super PAC in New York City municipal history, and we're going to be able to overcome that because of you,' Mamdani continued, referring to Cuomo's establishment-backed campaign. 'One of the things he clearly did very effectively was take his message directly to voters and do it in creative and interesting ways,' Schale said. 'The concept of speaking directly to economic issues and finding creative ways to take that message directly to voters is something that all Democrats should learn from.' Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) — whose name has been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2028 — has also emerged as a member of the Democratic camp whose social media presence has been among the few bright spots of the party, according to political observers who point to her authenticity and clear vision. Ocasio-Cortez and Mamdani 'are connecting with people by sort of leveraging the affordances of digital media,' said Adrienne Russell, a professor of communication at the University of Washington and a co-director of the school's Center for Journalism, Media, and Democracy. Russell said both Ocasio-Cortez and Mamdani 'also happen to have really clear messages and a vision for where we need to go as a country.' 'The Democrats that are sort of making a move to connect more with people are … young, and most of them have a very clear vision, and social media happens to be the place where they can connect with the public,' Russell added. 'For decades, we've been saying it's a social media thing when it's actually a people and politics thing, and social media is a tool.' Political observers say they think that Democrats are looking for a quick fix and an easy solution in social media. But the party's redemption, they say, has to be a long-term effort centered on running effective messengers in battleground territories. 'At the end of the day, candidates drive interest,' Schale said. 'A lot of folks want to find the easy solution. They want to spend $20 million to build a better podcast. And the reality is we need to elect more mayors and state legislators and county commissioners and county judges in communities that we have to do better in.' 'There are things we can do to do a better job at driving a message, but candidates are the ones that go in races,' Schale added. 'If you have messengers who are going to talk directly to the issues that voters care about, you can do well.' Experts also caution that social media algorithms breed extremism and polarization, which is why they say Republicans have seen so much success on platforms like X and YouTube. But they say the answer is not for the Democratic establishment to radicalize and change its rhetoric. 'What Democrats can do to most effectively deal with social media is create conditions within social media that don't privilege extremism and misinformation and polarization,' Russell said. 'I think social media is dropping the ball. When we have our public conversations boosted on platforms that privilege extremism, that's where the ball is being dropped.' 'This is the moment when these things are still movable,' she added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democratic insider admits to praying for an economic depression as party's popularity continues to plummet
Some Democratic strategists are so desperate for the party to start performing better, that they're hoping for the economy to tank. A report from The Hill on Tuesday quoted several Democratic strategists reflecting on what they see as the dismal state of the Democratic Party. One said the party should be "praying" for a depression as a lifeline for their declining popularity following President Donald Trump's 2024 election victory. "This is a nightmare scenario for the Dems right now," an anonymous strategist told the outlet. "We better pray long and hard that the country is going to be in a f‑‑‑--- depression, because I don't know how else we find ourselves out of this mess." Maher Calls Out Snl For 'Zombie Lie' That Republicans Are Racist, Warns They Are 'Not Helping' The Hill report prefaced that sobering impression of the Democratic Party by noting its current low approval numbers. "Not only do polls show the Democrats' approval ratings at historic lows, but they're still scrambling to identify a national leader almost half a year after Trump's return to the White House — dynamics that are raising alarm bells in certain corners of the party," the outlet stated. Read On The Fox News App The Hill also cited one recent poll conducted by Democratic super PAC Unite the Country between May and June. The survey found that the Democratic Party has lost ground since losing to Trump in November. Many of those polled said they found the Democratic Party "out of touch," "weak," and "woke." Strategist and senior adviser to Unite the Country, Rodell Mollineau, told The Hill that "it's going to be hard" for the party to move forward. "It's hard to message when you're in the wilderness, which is what we are right now," he said. "When voters don't think that you care about their issues, and they don't think that you're going to fight for them, that becomes a problem." Brad Bannon, another strategist, told The Hill, "Sadly, Democrats are still stuck in the same mud that they were in six months ago. We are still as unpopular as we were when Trump was inaugurated in January." He did, however, express hope that the passage of Trump's "big, beautiful bill" would give his party an opening to mount a counterattack against their Republican opponents. Mark Cuban Says Liberal Alternative To X Has Become 'Hateful' Due To Leftist Groupthink "Because of MAGA missteps, Democrats now finally have tools to use to build a new foundation," Bannon said. "The secret sauce for the opposition is to use the Medicaid cuts, immigration deportations and high tariff taxes to blister Trump for his failure to keep his campaign promise to bring down high prices on the first day of the second administration." White House spokesperson Kush Desai commented on these strategists' statements, telling Fox News Digital, "Fueled by a worsening case of TDS, Democrats are saying the quiet part out loud by openly and shamefully rooting against the prosperity of Americans. Not even a divine intervention could save Democrats from being power-hungry lowlife sociopaths." Other prominent voices in the party have grown exasperated with Democratic leaders in the months since Trump's election. Billionaire business mogul Mark Cuban slammed Democrats for their post-election strategy on the "Pod Save America" podcast Sunday. "It's just 'Trump sucks.' That's the underlying thought of everything the Democrats do. 'Trump sucks.' Trump says the sky is blue. 'Trump sucks.' That's not the way to win! It's just not! Because it's not about Trump — it's about the people of the United States of America — and what's good for them! And how do you get them to a place where they're in a better position, and it's less stressful for them." Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture Former Democratic mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, ripped the state of his party in a recent CNN interview, telling host Dana Bash, "Just to give you a sense of how bad we are – the Democratic Party is less popular than Elon Musk right now. That should be like a wake-up call – how bad." The Democratic Party did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital's requests for article source: Democratic insider admits to praying for an economic depression as party's popularity continues to plummet
Fox News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
LIZ PEEK: Democrats' identity crisis shows no sign of getting better. It's actually getting worse
The Democratic Party has no leader and no message. That's not a right-wing talking point; that's the findings of a poll commissioned by a Democrat SuperPAC. As reported by The Hill, a survey conducted between May and June by Unite the Country showed voters perceive the Democratic Party as "out of touch," "woke" and "weak." Worse, perceptions and confidence in the party have actually soured since last year's election, when Democrats not only lost the presidency, but also the Senate and the House. Democrat support from White men, Hispanic men and working-class voters in general has collapsed to below 35%. The poll is especially worrisome for Democrats in that it surveyed voters across 21 swing counties in 10 battleground states – the regions which will determine the outcomes of future elections. What can Democrats do to turn their prospects around? For starters, according to the survey, find new leaders who will talk about issues that matter to people, and particularly economic issues. Also, get back to common sense, which the party has rejected. Can anyone be surprised by these findings? After all, Democrats with unerring aim find themselves on the wrong side of almost every issue. Biological boys competing in girls' sports? Check. Open borders? Check. Opposing school choice? Check. Most recently, Democrats rallied in support of Glass House marijuana farms in California which were raided by ICE, even though the facility employed hundreds of people in the country illegally, including at least 10 children. Among the 361 illegals caught were criminals reportedly convicted for rape, kidnapping, burglary, hit and run, and DUI. Also detained were more than a dozen children, including one who is 14 years old, raising concerns about child trafficking. As ICE agents descended on the farm, they came under vicious assault from immigration activists and protesters. California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who was laying the groundwork in South Carolina for a presidential run when the riots broke out at the pot facility, posted this on X: "Instead of supporting the businesses and workers that drive our economy and way of life, Stephen Miller's tactics evoke chaos, fear and terror within our communities at every turn," speaking of the White House deputy chief of staff for policy and United States homeland security adviser. Californians were likely surprised to hear their "way of life" depended on illegal underage labor. Washington state's Democratic Rep. Pramilla Jayapal has accused ICE officers of acting "like a terrorist force" while Gov. Tim Walz smeared ICE agents as the "modern-day Gestapo." Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson describes ICE agents as "secret police" and says they're "terrorizing our communities." Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, New York Congressmen Jerry Nadler and Dan Goldman and many others have condemned ICE workers. The upshot of this reckless vitriol is that ICE agents have suffered a 700% increase in violent assaults even as they work to protect our communities. Democrats should note that in last year's election, voters turned out to elect Donald Trump, who vowed not only to secure our border but also to deport people in this country illegally. Reflexively opposing Trump in this ambition is also to oppose the will of American citizens. Last month, a CBS News/YouGov poll showed a majority of the country supports President Trump's deportation program, and a plurality thinks the effort is making the country safer. Other polls have indicated overwhelming support for deporting criminals. It isn't just President Trump's immigration policies that Democrats oppose; it's every move he makes. That brings them, for instance, to vote for a $4 trillion tax hike, which would have clobbered our economy. Even billionaire Democrat Mark Cuban is appalled by his party, noting on a recent podcast that Democrats' only plan of action is to complain about the president. "That's the underlying thought of everything the Democrats dot," Cuban said, "Trump sucks." As he said, "That's not the way to win. It's just not." While the current disarray in the Democratic Party is heartening for Republicans, it carries risks not only for the GOP but, more importantly, for the country. Searching for new leadership and new ideas could well encourage the rise of the likes of Zohran Mamdani the Democratic Socialist now leading the mayoral race in New York. Mamdani has burst on the scene promising to deliver free bus rides, free childcare, cheaper food via government-run grocery stores and cheaper housing via rent caps. None of it is real, but for hard-up voters searching for candidates who offer new ideas, the pitch resonates. Shamefully, leading Democratic Representatives like Jerry Nadler and Adriano Espaillat have endorsed this fraud who pretends to have working-class roots and to despise billionaires, even as his campaign is funded by the very rich and he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Mamdani is a big champion of public schools but attended pricey private schools and an expensive liberal arts college. Worse, Mamdani, who is Muslim, is openly anti-Israel and widely viewed as antisemitic. How can a candidate who has called to "globalize the intifada" lead a city that is home to 1.3 million Jews – the largest Jewish population outside Israel? Is anyone paying attention? Establishment Democrats are scared to death of Mamdani and his fanatical Democratic Socialist supporters, who have threatened to primary any who stand in their way. Millions of dollars are flowing from billionaire George Soros' son Alex to promote this candidate who rails against the wealthy and to challenge his opponents. This is a test for today's Democrats. If they follow Mamdani down his Socialist (President Trump and others say Communist) path and allow the 33-year-old snake-oil salesman to become the face of the next generation, they will further shrink their popularity. Most Americans, outside the coastal elites responsible for so much misfortune for Democrats, disagree with Mamdani's leftist policies and will increasingly disengage from a party that celebrates him. If not, we are all in trouble.
Fox News
5 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Democratic insider admits to praying for an economic depression as party's popularity continues to plummet
Some Democratic strategists are so desperate for the party to start performing better, that they're hoping for the economy to tank. A report from The Hill on Tuesday quoted several Democratic strategists reflecting on what they see as the dismal state of the Democratic Party. One said the party should be "praying" for a depression as a lifeline for their declining popularity following President Donald Trump's 2024 election victory. "This is a nightmare scenario for the Dems right now," an anonymous strategist told the outlet. "We better pray long and hard that the country is going to be in a f‑‑‑--- depression, because I don't know how else we find ourselves out of this mess." The Hill report prefaced that sobering impression of the Democratic Party by noting its current low approval numbers. "Not only do polls show the Democrats' approval ratings at historic lows, but they're still scrambling to identify a national leader almost half a year after Trump's return to the White House — dynamics that are raising alarm bells in certain corners of the party," the outlet stated. The Hill also cited one recent poll conducted by Democratic super PAC Unite the Country between May and June. The survey found that the Democratic Party has lost ground since losing to Trump in November. Many of those polled said they found the Democratic Party "out of touch," "weak," and "woke." Strategist and senior adviser to Unite the Country, Rodell Mollineau, told The Hill that "it's going to be hard" for the party to move forward. "It's hard to message when you're in the wilderness, which is what we are right now," he said. "When voters don't think that you care about their issues, and they don't think that you're going to fight for them, that becomes a problem." Brad Bannon, another strategist, told The Hill, "Sadly, Democrats are still stuck in the same mud that they were in six months ago. We are still as unpopular as we were when Trump was inaugurated in January." He did, however, express hope that the passage of Trump's "big, beautiful bill" would give his party an opening to mount a counterattack against their Republican opponents. "Because of MAGA missteps, Democrats now finally have tools to use to build a new foundation," Bannon said. "The secret sauce for the opposition is to use the Medicaid cuts, immigration deportations and high tariff taxes to blister Trump for his failure to keep his campaign promise to bring down high prices on the first day of the second administration." Other prominent voices in the party have grown exasperated with Democratic leaders in the months since Trump's election. Billionaire business mogul Mark Cuban slammed Democrats for their post-election strategy on the "Pod Save America" podcast Sunday. "It's just 'Trump sucks.' That's the underlying thought of everything the Democrats do. 'Trump sucks.' Trump says the sky is blue. 'Trump sucks.' That's not the way to win! It's just not! Because it's not about Trump — it's about the people of the United States of America — and what's good for them! And how do you get them to a place where they're in a better position, and it's less stressful for them." Former Democratic mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, ripped the state of his party in a recent CNN interview, telling host Dana Bash, "Just to give you a sense of how bad we are – the Democratic Party is less popular than Elon Musk right now. That should be like a wake-up call – how bad." The White House and the Democratic Party did not immediately reply to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.
The Independent
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Democrats are labeled as ‘woke' in new poll
Democrats are facing significant criticism and negative voter perception following their 2024 election losses. A new poll by the Democratic super PAC Unite the Country reveals voters perceive the party as 'out of touch,' 'weak,' and 'woke.' Critics, including Senator Bernie Sanders, argue Democrats have alienated working-class voters by prioritizing social issues over economic concerns. This negative perception is not new, with previous reports also highlighting voter concerns about the party's focus on diversity and elite groups. The party's ability to address these perceptions will be crucial for their performance in the 2026 midterm elections, where control of the Senate is at stake.
