Opinion: Democrats have a plan, but can they execute it?

Editor’s Note: Any opinions expressed in City Voice articles are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect those of the City Voice.

All across the country, elections that may otherwise appear unimportant to the everyday American has become a struggle between Republicans and Democrats. There were high-profile examples, of course, in Zohran Mamdani’s campaign and governor elections in both New Jersey and Virginia. But the news has exploded with seemingly random races, like in Tennessee where a deep red district almost saw a Democratic victory in Aftyn Behn. Normally no coverage would be talked about for a week (or longer), and yet the growing political polarization is morphing everyday elections into intense competitions.

After President Trump was reelected for a second term back in January, it was safe to assume that a Republican wave would sweep the nation, at least for a while. However this did not happen. Nationwide elections are seeing tight races between both parties, like with the aforementioned Tennessee congressional race. I, for one, am surprised by how well Democrats are rallying support during a time at which it seems the party is barely keeping it together.

In the face of party-wide division, two things are evident: Democrats are seeing much more success separated from their party, and they are winning on a simple message. The message is affordability. Perhaps in an effort to piggyback on Mamdani’s plan or simply an effort to voice the concerns of those they represent, many Democratic politicians are using the idea of lowering prices to win over voters. And it’s working—for now.

Republicans, for a majority of the past 28 years, have held the mayoral position in Miami. Mayor-elect Eileen Higgins changed that just a few days ago, winning with around 59% of the vote. Her message to voters? She’ll work to make the city safer and more affordable. And not making Miami safe using ICE, rather safe from ICE. Higgins’ campaign was more than anti-Trump, it was promising to deliver on what she saw as the empty musings of Trump and his own attempts at solving the affordability crisis.

And so it seems that affordability is Trump’s Achilles Heel. This is in part due to his campaign’s focus on making everyday items (eggs, for one) cheaper for the working class, but also his perceived failure of reaching those goals. A poll from the Associated Press found that only 31% of Americans approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, a decrease of almost 10% since March.

Democrats have had many chances to take a stand against Republican policies they view as hurting the American population—during the government shutdown in October it was evident that Republicans were scrambling to find positions to give up in order to reopen, but in the end Democrats caved in to the demands of their opposition. Now Democrats are at an advantage once more, because their ideology is undeniably popular. You may not associate yourself with Democratic Socialists like Zohran Mamdani, but his vision of cheaper and better groceries, transportation, and other daily necessities is compelling. Even Trump found him agreeable.

The problems of the Democratic party are mainly centered around its leadership. Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jefferies are widely viewed as unpopular, if thought of at all. A pre-shutdown poll by the Pew Research Center found that neither figure was viewed more favorably than unfavorable, and 45% of those polled didn’t even know who Hakeem Jefferies was. While they lead the Democratic party, their policies are more centrist than anything. The Biden-Harris approach to appeal to moderates and keep the support of the left is waning, and now the party is left without a strong leader, a strong voice, or a strong message.

At least, until now. The voices of Democrats have seen much more success free from the ties to the establishment. Andrew Cuomo, despite having the backing of the Democratic party (and the president!), lost to a candidate who was seen as a hotshot, a young and inexperienced radical whose policies went too far. And while Mamdani’s success as a leader is yet to be seen, he and other fresh-faced politicians currently have everything their predecessors—and the GOP—don’t.

I see two paths forward for the Democratic party. Firstly, the party could continue its descent into obscurity, a party which cannot revitalize itself for the modern political landscape. The Republican party, just to note, isn’t free from this fate either. With such a broad range of views in politics currently, it could serve well to break the two-party system and establish something that meets the needs of voters today.

Otherwise, the party may be able to reform itself and move past the Biden-Harris days. Force moderates to make up their minds and focus on cultivating the left that they seem to have forgotten about.

They have to face another choice: do they deserve to continue on, or have they damaged their base enough to justify their dissolution? Ultimately the choice is not up to them, rather the citizens they represent.

LUKE FANN

Editor-in-Chief at The City Voice | fann-l@students.grps.org

Editor-in-Chief Luke Fann is a junior at City and freelances for Rapid Growth Media's Voices of Youth program. He also attends Michigan State University's MIPA Summer Journalism Workshop, receiving the Sparty Award in Journalistic Storytelling and the Art of Storytelling. Additionally, he recieved an Award of Excellence in the Level Up: Leadership for Media program in 2025 and earned an honorable mention for his piece on AI and LLMs at the 2024 MIPA Spring Awards.

Luke began writing in 7th grade and became an editor by the following year. By his sophomore year, he was Managing Editor and then Editor-in-Chief. As for writing, he focuses on business and technology news, taking a deeper dive into topics rather than focusing solely on breaking news. He also covers personal interests, and his weekly editorials offer unique takes on timely issues.

If you're interested in writing for The City Voice, especially as a middle schooler or Underclassman, reach out to Luke or attend a meeting. Journalism is a great way to express your passions. No matter your background, The City Voice wants to hear your voice.