When Donald Trump first occupied the White House, the progressive left was out protesting – and, in some cases, rioting – seemingly constantly. Now, however, the resistance has a new idea or two about how best to oppose the Donald. This time, the plan isn’t just to march in pink hats or scream at the sky every time the president makes a decision.
Resistance in the Courts and at the State Level
President Trump’s first term was marked by protests and riots. Some marched in the streets wearing goofy outfits and chanting clever (and not so clever) slogans while others looted, vandalized, and set fire to cities. Now, however, numerous left-wing groups say it’s time for a more focused attack. Skye Perryman, the leader of the liberal organization Democracy Forward, told reporters that the group has been studying Project 2025 and other conservative policy documents to map out the legal battles. The organization has been working with lawyers from almost 300 other groups to put together a “proactive response.”
Perryman and others look to the state courts and legislatures, where Democrats hold a bit more control than they did when Trump first took office in 2017, as the primary battlegrounds against the president-elect’s coming policies. Indeed, several states are already looking to “Trump-proof” themselves by passing laws to protect transgender people and ensure access to abortion, as well as refusing to aid in any deportations.
Democrats will hold trifectas in 17 states come January and control at least one chamber and the governorship in another four. While that’s an improvement from Trump’s first term, it’s still fewer states than are controlled by Republicans. There are 27 GOP governors compared to 23 Democrats, and Republicans enjoy trifectas in 23 of those states. And, as Liberty Nation News recently reported, many of those states are trending even redder than before.
As blue states move farther left and red states go farther to the right, the growing trend is a more polarized nation – though, perhaps that’s as it should be. The original idea of the United States was that the federal government would handle foreign relations, defense against outside enemies, and disputes between the states, with the individual states regulating any human behavior and day-to-day issues that needed government intervention.
Go Along to Get Along – For Now
On the other hand, many Democrats in Congress have a different plan entirely: Work with Republicans whenever possible until the 2026 election. In short, go along to get along, as long as it isn’t anything too offensive to their beliefs. Perhaps inspired by Biden’s fake call to unity throughout his presidency (not to mention his very real call for unity once Trump won re-election and Republicans won both legislative chambers), some Democrats think the best way to beat their political opponents is to join them – for now.
“People want to see government work, and we’re going to hold Republicans accountable for whether they’re willing to help move things forward for the American people,” Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA) told the press. “So, if they aren’t, then absolutely, that will impact them at the ballot box.”
This approach seems best suited for swing-state Democrats, and it can be particularly effective come 2026 if they make a show of reaching across the aisle only to have their bipartisan overtures rejected by Republicans who feel anything Democrats might be willing to sign off on can’t possibly be conservative enough. Then, tell the voters something like, well, I tried – but those extreme right wingers just didn’t want to work with me!
“In politics, it’s always the right move to extend a hand,” explained Jared Leopold, a Democratic strategist and former Democratic Governors Association staffer. “And if somebody chooses to slap you in the face instead, you better make sure you catch it on camera.”
Of course, there are a couple of ways this plan can backfire. Suppose Republicans aren’t the extreme ideologues the left portrays them to be, and they actually accept the truly bipartisan hand rather than smack it away? Will the more “progressive” lawmaker follow through, or will the Democrats’ call for unity be as shallow as Biden’s turned out to be? Perhaps worse still, what if they accidentally play along on too many bills, making the Republican trifecta look even more effective?
A Shift in Focus
Another approach is to simply pick better fights. Over the last four years, Democrats have ben largely focused on trans issues, abortion, and illegal immigration. But these aren’t what drove Americans to the polls in 2024, generally speaking.
“That’s not what the marginal voter who gave him the plurality of votes in key states was voting for,” explained Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, an organization dedicated to resistance to Trump that wants to defund ICE, CBP, and the president-elect’s deportation efforts. “They were voting for lower egg prices.”
On that same theory, Harris pollster Molly Murphy told members of the Democratic National Committee earlier in the month that they should focus more on “pocketbook issues” than on stopping Trump’s nominations and exploding in outrage over whatever controversial thing he might do or say.
In any case, whether it’s resistance in the courts and state legislatures; a redirected, refocused attack on Trump’s policies that affect voter wallets; or simply playing along for as long as necessary – and, of course, always being ready to point it out when Republicans don’t do the same – the end goal remains the same: Taking over Congress in the 2026 midterm elections. The question is, can they pull it off?
