It’s been a hot minute since we checked in with our Democratic (and independent) pals to see who has had our backs and who has, well, not.
I figure we should kick this off with praise for a pretty darn surprising move from Nancy Pelosi, who has issued a public statement asking Chuck Schumer to do the right thing and rally Democratic senators to not support the no good, very bad government funding bill (and to change his mind about voting for it himself). Which we’re all still in the last post waiting to watch!
THIS ONE! THIS ONE RIGHT HERE!
“Donald Trump and Elon Musk have offered the Congress a false choice between a government shutdown or a blank check that makes a devastating assault on the well-being of working families across America. Let’s be clear: neither is a good option for the American people. But this false choice that some are buying instead of fighting is unacceptable. I salute Leader Hakeem Jeffries for his courageous rejection of this false choice, and I am proud of my colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus for their overwhelming vote against this bill,” Pelosi said in a statement.
“Democratic senators should listen to the women,” she added. “Appropriations leaders Rosa DeLauro and Patty Murray have eloquently presented the case that we must have a better choice: a four-week funding extension to keep government open and negotiate a bipartisan agreement. America has experienced a Trump shutdown before — but this damaging legislation only makes matters worse. Democrats must not buy into this false choice. We must fight back for a better way. Listen to the women, For The People.”
Good for you, Nancy! And also good for the 66 House Democrats who sent their own letter to Schumer demanding the same, and for Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Tammy Duckworth, Jeff Merkley and others pushing against it in the Senate. Now is not the time for anyone to stay in their own lane — which is precisely why it’s pretty awesome that several Democratic and independent legislators are getting out there with the people, holding rallies and the town halls that Republicans are too scared to hold themselves. Probably because they know that at some point “Everyone who disagrees with me was paid to do so by George Soros” becomes logistically impossible.
Minnesota Governor, former Democratic veep nominee, and America’s Dad Tim Walz is kicking off a national tour this week, holding town halls in red districts in his own state, as well as in Wisconsin, Ohio, and Iowa, after proposing the idea on social media last week.
“If your Republican representative won’t meet with you because their agenda is so unpopular, maybe a Democrat will,” Walz wrote. “Hell, maybe I will. If your congressman refuses to meet, I’ll come host an event in their district to help local Democrats beat ‘em.”
And I think if he shows up carrying an adorable lamb like in the picture above, he’ll have a pretty good chance of doing that. Give the people what they want, I say!
Bernie Sanders has already done several town halls himself, and has also been hosting rallies throughout the Midwest — AOC is expected to join him for at least a few. Ro Khanna has also announced that he plans to hold events in three California districts represented by Republicans. Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida (and I assume, at some point in the future, a cozy mystery airing on the BBC) will be doing the same in his own state.
DNC Chair Ken Martin has also announced that the Democratic Party itself will be hosting at least 50 “People’s Town Halls” in red districts across the United States.
This is all very, very good. One big mistake Democrats have been making over the last few years is continually just writing various cohorts of people off, to the point where eventually there will be no one left. Going into Republican districts, talking to voters, and making their case in person is the absolute best thing they can do right now to prepare for 2026 and beyond.
Speaking to MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, Gov. Walz explained that if Democrats don’t put themselves out there “Donald Trump, all the podcasts, all the money will fill that void.”
“We wouldn’t be in this mess if we had won the election,” he wrote on an Instagram reel of that segment. “But now we have to make sure Americans know it’s not just that Donald Trump is bad, but that Democrats are offering them something better. So I’m hitting the road, traveling to red states across the country to lend a megaphone to the people. Your congressman may not want to listen, but they’re going to hear from us anyway.”
Good! Great! More of that, please and thank you! And so, so much less of whatever it is that Chuck Schumer thinks he is doing.
PREVIOUSLY ON WONKETTE!
