‘But Trump’ doesn’t work: The midterm question Democrats must answer

As early voting gets underway, here’s the political advice I’d plant in every Democratic candidate’s brain: If you couldn’t mention President Donald Trump for five minutes, could you still explain why Americans should vote for you?It’s a question worth asking as Democrats fight to reclaim the House of Representatives.Opposing Trump is a powerful motivator. But opposition alone isn’t a governing agenda, and winning an election isn’t the same as earning lasting public confidence. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that 84% of voters supporting Democratic House candidates view their vote as a vote against Trump. That should tell Democratic strategists something about the party’s current message.Meanwhile, an Associated Press-NORC poll found that 84% of voters consider the cost of living a top issue in the midterm elections.The political opportunity lies in the distance between those two numbers.Democrats have every reason to scrutinize Trump’s decisions and challenge Republican policies. But they also need to explain, in practical terms, what they would do differently.There’s an immense temptation in political communications to chase attention with a quippy condemnation. By the time your response circulates online, however, the news cycle has often moved on to Trump or the latest controversy involving MAGA-minded Republicans.Attention is good. But attention alone doesn’t persuade voters.I’ve seen this firsthand while advising political campaigns. Some of the most effective messages aren’t the ones that generate the loudest applause from activists or the most engagement online. They’re the ones that connect an everyday problem with a recognizable solution.Consider deed theft, an issue I’ve worked on in New York for Democratic campaigns. For a homeowner worried about losing a property that has been in the family for generations, a candidate’s position on Trump may matter. But whether that candidate can protect homeowners, strengthen enforcement, and hold bad actors accountable likely matters more.That kind of messaging might not generate national headlines. It can, however, demonstrate why electing someone new would make a difference and convince a valuable vote in a tight race.The same principle applies to housing costs, public safety, healthcare, and the price of groceries. Voters shouldn’t need a political decoder ring to understand what a candidate intends to accomplish.Democrats are right to emphasize the consequences of Republican control of Congress. Winning the House would give them the ability to conduct oversight, influence legislation, and constrain portions of Trump’s agenda.But Trump would remain president until January 2029. A Democratic House majority wouldn’t magically reverse every policy voters dislike or resolve the affordability crisis.That makes the question of what Democrats would actually accomplish even more important.Campaigns cannot substitute a promise to stop Trump for a credible explanation of what comes afterward.The party’s challenge isn’t simply persuading Americans that Republicans have made mistakes. It’s convincing them that Democrats have workable answers of their own.THE PRESIDENT STILL THINKS HE’S ON REALITY TVAfter all, voters aren’t just choosing whom they want to oppose. They’re deciding whom they trust to govern.And that requires more than five minutes of talking about Trump.James Christopher is a political communications consultant and founder of James Christopher Communications. He has advised political campaigns and public officials in New York.