Time to get off the mat
Democrats are starting to shake off the fog of the 2024 election. Collectively, tens of thousands of people have attended recent rallies, and many others have crowded town hall meetings to express their frustration with current lawmakers.
But this week may have offered the best signs yet. Here are five reasons it felt like a turning point for Democrats.
1. Booker’s history-making speech
Sen. Cory Booker’s 25-hour Senate floor speech didn’t just break Sen. Strom Thurmond’s decades-old record — it was a rallying cry for Democrats desperate for someone to stand up and fight. And people paid attention: Booker’s TikTok livestream received over 350 million likes and his office fielded over 28,000 calls.
Perhaps most importantly, Booker sent a clear message to his colleagues: Democrats can’t afford to coast. If officials want to hold on to their seats, they need to think creatively and do everything in their power to fight Trump’s agenda — or step aside for someone who will.
2. Wisconsin and Florida voters sent a message
With Wisconsin’s state Supreme Court win and improvements in Florida’s special House elections, Democrats sent Trump a warning he can’t ignore.
Progressive Judge Susan Crawford won her Supreme Court seat by double digits, despite Elon Musk pouring millions into the race. This suggests his money might be helping Democrats more than it’s helping Republicans.
The fallout from Wisconsin also suggests Trump is realizing Musk is a liability. It’s no coincidence that a few days after Crawford’s win, Trump told reporters that Musk would likely be wrapping up his current role in “a few months.”
3. Young candidates across the country are stepping up
If 2024 was a gut punch for progressives, 2025 is looking like a generational wake-up call. And young Democrats are answering.
From Kat Abughazaleh in Illinois to Deja Foxx in Arizona and Christian Menefee in Texas, a wave of smart, unflinching young candidates are stepping up.
Meanwhile Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow — who became a viral sensation for her floor speech condemning a colleague who accused her of “grooming children” for promoting LGBTQ values — and New Hampshire Rep. Chris Pappas have both announced bids for Senate seats.
These are candidates who know voters are hungry for fighters, and if elected, would redefine which voices are front and center for Democrats.
4. Democratic senators are flexing their power
Freshman Sens. Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Adam Schiff of California are showing what it looks like when Democrats fight fire with fire. Gallego is blocking Trump’s Veterans Affairs nominees in protest of sweeping job cuts at the VA — a bold move in a bipartisan committee. Schiff is putting a hold on Ed Martin’s nomination for U.S. attorney in D.C., citing Martin’s weaponization of the office.
This is what it looks like when Democrats stop playing nice and start playing to win. The grassroots energy hasn’t faded. If anything, it’s growing. The nationwide Hands Off! protests on April 5 are shaping up to be the largest single-day protest since Trump took office. Organizers have planned over 1,100 events across all 50 states — and more than 250,000 people have already RSVP’d. No, Democrats don’t have the White House. But they have something else right now: momentum. And a party that is waking up to the reality that business as usual is no longer acceptable. It’s been nearly a month since Democratic Rep. Sylvester Turner, who represented Texas’ 18th Congressional District, passed away. But instead of calling a special election — something Gov. Greg Abbott has done swiftly in the past — he’s stalling. Why? Because he knows sending just one more Democrat to the House of Representatives could erode House Speaker Mike Johnson’s thin GOP majority. And Abbott apparently has no qualms leaving 800,000 Texans without representation. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries isn’t buying Abbott’s excuses, calling the delay a deliberate power play and warning that the governor should “lawyer up.” Christian Menefee, the chief civil lawyer for Harris County and a candidate for the seat, is also ready to take Abbott to court. His message: “Your silence is suppression.” Abbott could call an emergency election tomorrow, just like he did in 2018 and 2022 when vacancies benefited Republicans. But if he waits until November — or even later — Houston’s historically Black and Hispanic 18th District will be left voiceless for months.
Jen Psaki is the host of "The Briefing with Jen Psaki" airing Tuesdays through Fridays at 9 p.m. EST. She is the former White House press secretary for President Joe Biden. Recommended
5. Today’s April 5 protests could be massive
The bottom line:
A race to watch: Texas’ 18th Congressional District
