Commentary: Democrats need a creative approach to the midterm elections

Solomon D. Stevens, Tribune News Service on Aug 13, 2025

Published in Op Eds

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Let’s face it. The Democratic Party is in disarray. It will not win the 2026 congressional midterm elections if it limits its message to condemning President Donald Trump. And it will not win the 2026 elections if the party is seen as a cesspool of bickering and disagreement.

Americans are fed up with the inability of Congress to act, and they have embraced a president who circumvents Congress for all of his major initiatives. If Democrats want to succeed in 2026, they need to take bold, unified action. They need a new version of the original “Contract With America.”

For those who are too young (or weren’t around yet) to witness the success of the original Contract With America, let me explain. It was a document — a promise, really — written by two Republican congressmen, Newt Gingrich and Dick Armey, that set out in plain language exactly what the Republicans would do if they won a majority in Congress in the 1994 elections.

The Contract named eight reforms of Congress that it would implement and 10 bills it would bring to the floor for consideration. It was a stroke of genius, and it was a success. Republicans won majorities in both houses for the first time since 1953.

The Contract With America was effective because it was clear, direct and bold, but the key to making it successful was getting all but two Republicans in the House and all of the congressional candidates who were not incumbents to sign it. That gave the document the feel of an actual contract. It was powerful.

And it didn’t matter whether most Americans even read the specifics of the Contract With America. The fact that it existed was evidence that Republicans knew what they wanted to do and were willing to promise they would do it. It was a sign that Republicans were poised to act. That resonated with the American people.

Rather than go on and on about how Trump is a threat to democracy, Democrats should take action to show Americans that democracy can, in fact, work. They can do that by proving that Congress can, once again, function effectively.

A Democratic version of the Contract With America would help focus the party on a particular set of issues as 2026 approaches, which is something the party desperately needs. Right now, it is almost impossible for most Americans to say what the Democratic Party stands for. And if Democrats do not define their party, their opponents will.

Right now, more Republicans are talking about who the Democrats are than there are Democrats. This is not a winning strategy.

A new Contract With America needs to promote an agenda for all Americans, not just all Democrats. And it cannot limit itself to traditional bread-and-butter and infrastructure issues. Promoting abundance will not be enough.

A successful Contract With America needs to address at least three critical cultural concerns of Americans: immigration, diversity and education. These have been divisive issues, and Democrats need to show that they can provide a new approach to addressing them, one that will unify Americans.

The party needs to bring its left wing, right wing and moderates together, at least concerning the specifics of what they are willing to promise to the American people. Disagreements can and should remain on other matters, but the party should be able to agree to a finite number of congressional reforms and bills about which they can all be committed. And if the party cannot unify around a set of proposals for the American people, then it doesn’t deserve to dominate in the midterm elections. This is the time for Democrats to rise above their internal battles.

Trump won the 2024 election for several reasons. One crucial factor is, of course, that Joe Biden withdrew his candidacy very late, and the party did not have time to go through a regular nomination process. But even if Biden had withdrawn much earlier, the fact is that Trump was speaking to very real concerns of Americans in a way that Democrats were not. Instead of dismissing these concerns, Democrats need to address them.

Even with a Democratic version of the Contract With America, winning in 2026 will be an uphill battle for Democrats, with Republicans planning new gerrymandering of legislative districts in Texas, hoping to add five Republican seats in Congress.

So, this is the time for Democrats to step forward with creativity and boldness. Those who would be leaders in the Democratic Party need to come forward now, help the party define itself, and call the party to action.

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ABOUT THE WRITER

Solomon D. Stevens is the author of “Religion, Politics, and the Law” (co-authored with Peter Schotten) and “Challenges to Peace in the Middle East.” He wrote this for InsideSources.com.

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