As the 2026 midterms loom, a simmering debate within Democratic circles has reached a boiling point: Should the party abandon the moral high ground and play political hardball?
In recent years, Democrats have leaned heavily on the ethos of civility and hope—famously embodied by Michelle Obama’s 2016 rallying cry, “When they go low, we go high.” But with the GOP embracing increasingly combative rhetoric and tactics, some strategists argue it’s time for Democrats to recalibrate their messaging—and their muscle.
The former First Lady’s husband agrees. At a July fundraiser, former President Barack Obama didn’t mince words. “It’s going to require a little bit less navel-gazing and a little less whining and being in fetal positions,” he told attendees. “And it’s going to require Democrats to just toughen up.” His remarks drew enthusiastic applause—but also underscored growing impatience with the party’s internal hesitations.
Obama elaborated, challenging disengaged voters and party members alike: “Don’t tell me you’re a Democrat, but you’re kind of disappointed right now, so you’re not doing anything. No, now is exactly the time that you get in there and do something.”
While many voters admire Democrats’ emphasis on integrity, others worry it’s come at a cost. Polling from earlier this year shows a growing perception of the party as “too cautious” or “out of touch” with cultural and economic frustrations. This vulnerability is particularly acute among working-class voters who feel overlooked.
Strategists believe that if Democrats continue to avoid bold confrontation, they risk ceding ground not just politically, but psychologically—where grit and conviction win hearts as well as votes.
According to a recent Wall Street Journal poll, 63% of voters now hold an unfavorable view of the party, marking the lowest approval rating since 1990.
The poll paints a stark picture:
- Only 33% of voters view Democrats favorably, with just 8% expressing a “very favorable” opinion.
- Democrats are now viewed less favorably than both President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, despite their own poor ratings.
- Voters increasingly describe the party as “weak,” “out of touch,” and lacking a clear economic message.
Political strategist Susan Estrich echoed Obama’s sentiment. In a recent column she wrote, “It’s going to require Democrats to just toughen up… I’ve been surprised by how many people seem cowed and intimidated, shrinking away from asserting what they believe.”
In his book, Comeback, M. Steven Fish critiques the left’s approach to political communication arguing liberals and their leaders need to renew their commitment to what he calls “the politics of dominance.”
Voters “want to be on the winning team,” Fish writes. “They favor leaders who project indomitability rather than vulnerability. They admire and trust leaders with stiff spines and strong principles.”
However, Mark Elias, founder of Democracy Docket has an optimistic outlook. He said “Democrats have a real opportunity to retake the House and Senate in 2026.”
In a recent column he writes that “History is on the Democrats’ side. Since Trump entered the political scene, Democrats have outperformed in midterm elections. In 2018, they took control of the House — gaining 40 seats — while sharply limiting losses in the Senate. In 2022, they defied expectations by gaining a Senate seat and minimizing House losses.”
Democrats face a double bind: too tough, and they risk alienating moderates; too soft, and they lose their base’s respect. The challenge in 2026 may be finding a tonal middle ground—forceful but fair, passionate but principled.
As the fight for the soul of American democracy continues, Democrats must decide whether “going high” still resonates—or whether, in an age of escalating political warfare, it’s time to stand tall and swing back.
Hugo Balta is the executive editor of the Fulcrum, and the publisher of the Latino News Network.
SUGGESTION: Poll: Democrats In Crisis Amid Shifting Voter Sentiment
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U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a“ Steel Across America” event ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11th attacks on the Ellipse near the White House on Sept. 8, 2026 in Washington, D.C. President Trump welcomed 9/ 11 first responders to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation’ s“ Steel Across America” event featuring a 16,900- pound, 21- foot steel beam recovered.
For Trump, even 9/11 is an opportunity
There was a reason organizers of the 9/11 ceremony in Manhattan told President Trump he could not speak at this year’s memorial service.
A good one, it turns out.
Because in a speech he gave on Tuesday in Washington, he did exactly what they were presumably worried about — he made it about himself.
According to The New York Times, Trump had wanted a speaking role at the service, but the National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum, which oversees the site, said no, as they’ve maintained for the past decade-plus that the venue and event should be nonpartisan.
Trump has long used awful tragedies to either puff himself up, trash political opponents, or sell lies to the American people.
He blamed a deadly plane crash at Washington National Airport last year on diversity, equity and inclusion policies. He blamed Puerto Ricans for the devastation they endured after Hurricane Maria in 2017. He reportedly considered withholding disaster relief after the California wildfires based on the way affected regions voted. In an interview on Fox News meant to commemorate the 75th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, he used the occasion to slam former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi…with graves of the dead behind him.
And now, as we approach the 25th anniversary of what many New Yorkers consider the darkest day in modern history, Trump has done it again.
He told a rambling, nonsensical story — one he’s told before — about going to Ground Zero just after terrorists flew two commercial jets into the twin towers. In the story, which no one has been able to verify, despite multiple attempts, he says firefighters had to carry him out of One Liberty Plaza, also known as the U.S. Steel Building, because they thought it was about to collapse.
As CNN fact checker Daniel Dale notes, there’s no evidence Trump went into this building, especially at a time when NYPD and NYFD had locked down the area. There’s no evidence that building was collapsing — in fact, it was deemed structurally sound and reopened within two months of the attacks. There’s no evidence he was carried out of it by firefighters.
But the lie isn’t even the worst part. Pretend it was all true — why would the leader of our country, and a New Yorker, decide to make that tragic day about himself?
Because that’s who Donald Trump is. He’s a malignant narcissist.
He’s also, incidentally, a terrible and ineffectual president, who’s made ill-fated decisions that he has to keep defending, and there’s nothing he won’t do to make himself look and feel better.
Within the first two minutes of his speech, he was cravenly using 9/11 to justify and promote his dumb war in Iran — two events separated by 25 years and 6,000 miles.
“And I will tell you, we’re right now fighting because we have a certain nation that wanted a nuclear weapon, they were very close to getting it, and now they have no chance at getting it. They will never have a nuclear weapon. Iran will not have a nuclear weapon. And they’ve been punished greatly. As you know, we’ve really taken it to them.”
As a New Yorker who lived through 9/11, still one of the worst days of my life, I’m utterly sickened by Trump’s crass, political, and self-promotional framing of that awful day.
And I’m relieved he won’t be given a platform to do it again on Friday’s anniversary in lower Manhattan.
Because for Trump, everything is his for the taking, and absolutely nothing is sacred.
S.E. Cupp is the host of "S.E. Cupp Unfiltered" on CNN.