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Democrats can win back the White House in 2028. Here’s how | Colin Seeberger

By January 2029, Donald Trump will be capping off a nearly 14-year stretch at the helm of American politics. While he will no longer serve as president of the United States, his shadow over the future of American politics will continue to loom large across both sides of the aisle. Following Trump’s popular-vote victory in the 2024 election, the Democratic party has been forced to wrestle with what went wrong and how they can regain the support of an American majority to win back the White House. To win back Americans’ trust, Democrats have to prioritize affordability, broaden their cultural appeal, and reconnect with disaffected voters beyond their base.

Trump’s political success has long been defined by his willingness to take on elite institutions and buck convention, putting distance between himself and weaknesses in the Republican brand while simultaneously undermining advantages in the Democratic brand. He’s ignored the wrath of editorial boards and economists while offering policy ideas and messaging that speaks to what voters think.

In 2028, Democrats should prioritize what voters – all of them – say they want over what’s pleasing to leftwing media, interest groups, donors and elites. Not only would this allow the Democratic party to put forward a policy agenda well-positioned to gain popular support – it would simultaneously help solve brand weaknesses, including criticisms that the party’s leaders lack strength, are too quick to dismiss voters’ concerns, or prioritize telling voters how to feel instead of listening to their concerns.

Speaking of voters’ concerns – if the public has sent one unified message to our elected leaders over the last few years, it’s that the cost of living is unaffordable. The good news for Democrats is that Trump and the Republican party have failed to deliver on their promises to lower prices. Instead, they’ve coalesced behind an agenda that makes life less affordable for everyday Americans.

The president’s tariffs are increasing prices of everyday goods, including groceries, clothing, and appliances. This pain is compounded by Trump’s marquee megabill, which leaves many Americans worse off while giving the top 1% of earners $1tn in tax breaks. The bill’s unprecedented cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Snap), termination of key tax credits, and massive increase in the federal debt will spike the costs of housing, healthcare, food, gas, and utilities for countless Americans.

Democrats should go on the offense against Republicans working to make life more expensive, but they should also lay out a vision for renewing the promise of a middle-class life and the political reforms that will be necessary to deliver on such change.

As important as they are, popular and effective policies that address the American people’s problems aren’t a magic bullet for electoral success, especially when more than one-third of Americans identify as news avoiders. Of those who do consume news, 40% report being “primarily digital media consumers”, meaning they get their information from non-traditional sources, like podcasts, YouTube shows, and content creators.

Reaching these Americans requires Democratic candidates to build an identity that extends beyond politics. That will necessitate tapping into the cultural conversations people are already having – not avoiding hard topics or creating an echo chamber to only talk to the Americans who already agree with you. Beyond the substance and need to penetrate the non-traditional media ecosystem, Democrats also need to optimize their owned social media channels for style to more authentically connect with the electorate. Publishing direct-to-camera videos, for instance, have proven to be an effective tactic.

If Democrats are willing to have conversations that breach their comfort zones and are willing to level with the public about how the party has fallen, they may find a sympathetic ear in those being devastated by the agenda Trump and Republicans in Congress have delivered on. And with Trump’s heir apparent – JD Vance, having cast the deciding vote for $1tn in cuts to Medicaid, cuts which he described as “immaterial” even as they will devastate rural hospitals and cause millions to lose coverage – running away from that record will prove impossible. It’s created a real opportunity for Democrats to make inroads in crucial swing states like North Carolina, where more than half a million people are poised to lose their health coverage, and Georgia, where the repeal of clean energy investments could cost nearly 40,000 jobs, many in Republican districts.

Democrats face a difficult, but achievable, task in winning back the White House in 2028. It will require them to be relentless in addressing America’s affordability crisis, reaching out beyond the Democratic base, and persuading voters that Republicans have failed to drive changes that materially improve their lives – and that Democrats have meaningful solutions and the strength to deliver on them.