Opinion | Trump and the Democrats: 13 Black Democratic Voters Discuss

Susan, 67, Wash., Democrat, library tech

Dismal.

Carla, 37, Ill., Democrat, clinical research coordinator

Disappointed.

Michael, 51, Texas, Democrat, machine operator

Nervous.

Prince, 56, Ga., independent, operations manager

Embarrassed.

Terrell, 21, Pa., Democrat, security officer

Disappointed.

Kenneth, 52, Tenn., Democrat, electronics training

Disappointed and bamboozled.

Troie, 28, N.Y., independent, customer service supervisor

It feels like we’re turning back the clock on what this country has accomplished and what we’ve overcome.

Troie, 28, N.Y., independent, customer service supervisor

It feels like the current administration is kind of reverting back to … the best way I can say it is, like, the pre-civil rights era, where we — and not just us as Black people, but all marginalized people — are losing rights left and right. And it’s a scary time to be here.

Kenneth, 52, Tenn., Democrat, electronics training

The economy. Gas prices are at least a dollar more per gallon than they were, let’s say, three months ago. Food prices have been constantly going up. We entered into a war, if you want to call it that, or however they want to refer to it, with Iran. But what did we accomplish? The Strait of Hormuz was already open. So now it’s closed and opened at various times. If you just left it the way it was, we would be in a better position than we are now. So what do we accomplish by entering into a war?

Tim, 70, N.C., Democrat, warehouse manager

I see it as a direct attack on our society, especially with Black Americans. They are wiping out the history. They’re changing voting rights. They’re wiping out districts where Blacks were. So we can still vote, but we have no representatives from those districts. I’m really worried about the status of Black Americans right now in the United States.

Nichole, 54, Ind., Democrat, licensing coordinator

Since Donald Trump has been in office, it’s just been terrible. It’s frustrating that he’s allowed to do the things that he’s doing and nobody’s willing to stand up to him, to tell him that he’s wrong. He’s like a big bully on the playground. Congress is scared of him.

Tim, 70, N.C., Democrat, warehouse manager

Both houses of Congress. Everybody. You go out throughout the United States, you’ve got governors, you’ve got senators. You’ve got everybody, everybody in the world. He sues everybody. Sues his own government. What president has ever sued their own government? No, and then the government — look at the I.R.S., what they just did here. They granted him some money and then they gave him the option: They won’t tax his family. Have they done that to regular Americans who work every day? Never. You have never seen such corruption.

Ralph, 37, N.J., independent, wind turbine tech

I feel like I’m in a house that’s on fire and everybody else is pretending that it’s not. Certain actions that people would have been afraid to do maybe before November 2024, they now feel emboldened to do. I feel like institutions are now allowing actions where you would have been afraid to get fired, but now you know there’s a safety net.

Susan, 67, Wash., Democrat, library tech

When I look around my community, I see a lot of despair. The fentanyl problem, the homeless people with children, and some are just struggling. Our grocery store is like an armed camp because people steal so much. You have armed security in there. And I think that is a sign of our government of the people, for the people, by the people, not really looking out for the people. Types of drug treatment programs are not being funded. And there’s a very, very big wealth gap. Cost of living is really crazy because we have a lot of techies. But on the working side, the wages are low.

Al, 33, Ohio, Democrat, accountant

Things are really just bleak in a lot of aspects. When I go out into the city, I do see a lot of people out in the streets. And I’m worried about inflation and job losses and conflicts, like Ukraine and Palestine, abroad. So it feels like things are going wrong in other areas of the world as well.

Antonio, 41, La., Democrat, lead cook

I said our best days were ahead of us. I’m more of an optimistic type of guy. Nothing lasts forever. This guy won’t be in office forever. I’m depending on the people to pull together and make the change that we’re looking for. Whether we’re still here to see it while we’re living, maybe our grandkids, great-grandkids, kids. But one day it’s going to be over, and it’s going to be better.

Nichole, 54, Ind., Democrat, licensing coordinator

I said our best days are behind us because it’s going to take so much to get us back to where we were. It’s going to take so much work. And I mean, where we were a couple of years ago is so much different from where we are now. Today you’ve got people who are emboldened to do things and say things that they normally wouldn’t say or do.

Prince, 56, Ga., independent, operations manager

I also said our best days are behind us. I was in the Navy for 20 years, and back in the ’80s and ’90s, everybody wasn’t perfect, but there was a tradition. The way the president acted, the way things were every day. Today, people, politicians are getting more and more extreme, because they see that if it worked for Trump, it might work for them.

Nichole, 54, Ind., Democrat, licensing coordinator

I was in the grocery store and this Caucasian lady thought that she could just tell me to get out of her way or get out of the line. And I just looked at her like she was crazy. Like, I’m in line, just like you’re in line. And when it’s your turn, it’ll be your turn. Until such time, you need to wait. So she’s telling people to go back to where they came from. And let’s be honest. I didn’t ask to be here. I was brought here. My ancestors were brought here. We did not invite ourselves over here. I was born and raised over here, just like she was born and raised over here. But there’s certain things that people do and say that’s just out of pocket.

Michael, 51, Texas, Democrat, machine operator

Jan. 6 — that’s a huge example of people feeling emboldened. That’s something people would have never done. And it wasn’t until this president came along and filled their head full of nonsense, and they went and did what they did. And I think now they probably feel even more emboldened because he pardoned all of them.

Prince, 56, Ga., independent, operations manager

ICE going around getting the immigrants, once they got the go-ahead from Trump, do what you’ve got to do, scoop them up, I don’t care how you get them, they felt like, OK, well, we can go out and we can beat them up, we can do what we want to do because guess what? Our president had already said he’s going to pardon us.

Tim, 70, N.C., Democrat, warehouse manager

An F-minus.

Susan, 67, Wash., Democrat, library tech

Yeah, F-minus.

Ralph, 37, N.J., independent, wind turbine tech

I’d give him an incomplete. That means that you took this course as a joke, and so you need to retake it.

Tim, 70, N.C., Democrat, warehouse manager

Wonderful.

Susan, 67, Wash., Democrat, library tech

Absolutely magnificent.

Chereese, 55, Md., Democrat, administrative assistant

Pure joy.

Kenneth, 52, Tenn., Democrat, electronics training

Proud.

Chereese, 55, Md., Democrat, administrative assistant

Yes.

Troie, 28, N.Y., independent, customer service supervisor

A blessing.

Antonio, 41, La., Democrat, lead cook

There you go.

Susan, 67, Wash., Democrat, library tech

I believe in my people. I believe we’re resilient and we are overcomers. And I believe that we are not going to let this be our demise. In spite of everything that’s coming on us, I just believe that we know how to wake up and do our thing. And we have a way of sheltering our stuff, our minds, from being caught in a trap of being angry, being upset. But we’re going to utilize our strength and energy to work it another way. But we don’t tell our plan. But we got a plan, you know what I’m saying? I just feel like it’s going to happen. Black women and men have come to the forefront to defend wrongs and rights of people that don’t even look like us. And we’ve been just falling on the sword. And right now, we’re tired. We ain’t doing that for nobody else no more, because you know what, we got burned out. We work together and build a coalition among ourselves and our sisters, our neighbors, our families, brothers, uncles, and strengthen ourselves to reshape what’s going on instead of letting it become something that makes us sick inside and not want to face. We hold our head high and we just carry on.

Ralph, 37, N.J., independent, wind turbine tech

I would say “party starter.” I don’t know if you know the idea that when people go to a party, they’re uncomfortable with being the first one to dance. I think we are the ones that make everybody else comfortable and inspire people to do their own movements. And to build off what Susan said, I think that when you are constantly met with obstacles or oppression, you have to get creative. And I think that’s in a way innate or ingrained in us that we’re not going to let this initial roadblock stop us. We’re going to find a way around it.

Kenneth, 52, Tenn., Democrat, electronics training

Perseverance, because if someone has a 400-year head start on you and if you catch them, that means you have to be just as smart, if not smarter, and you have to have worked harder than them, or just as hard, for someone to have that kind of head start and for you to catch them.

Terrell, 21, Pa., Democrat, security officer

I do agree with everybody else, but I guess just to change it up a little bit, you could say it’s challenging, in a way, with everything you have to face, whether it’s discrimination in school, work, really anything. But you could say it’s challenging. Obviously, you could overcome it, but challenging compared to other races and people.

Michael, 51, Texas, Democrat, machine operator

I’d have to agree. I think that as Blacks, as the saying goes, we’ve got to do twice as much work to get half as much return. And I feel that — but I do feel hopeful.

Michael, 51, Texas, Democrat, machine operator

A lot of the pushback that Trump has been getting. Even some people who consider themselves MAGA have been pushing back on some of the things that he’s been doing, like with the fund for Jan. 6ers, and a lot of the spending that he’s been doing for the war. So it gives me a little bit of hope, but it also seems that when you do get your hopes up, they get dashed because of some Supreme Court decision, or Congress is refusing to do something to stop them from doing something else.

Chereese, 55, Md., Democrat, administrative assistant

After all of these years, to basically dismantle it, how did you come to that conclusion? Because the same things that were happening when it was put in place are literally happening in this current state of the world, especially with this current administration. They are literally trying to take away voting rights for people of color and women. So why would you think it wouldn’t be just as important now as it was when it was put in place?

Tim, 70, N.C., Democrat, warehouse manager

It took away the representation of states that are 30 percent Black, like Alabama, where there’s a large Black population. They took away the representation from having a representative of that area. You look at the Supreme Court; the six that did that, including Clarence Thomas, which was a disgrace to have done that in the first place, that’s what he came from, out of Georgia, all that he came up under, and now he took it away. But again, all that’s done by money and power. I’ll be blunt. It’s going to rely on white folks to get all this back together. When they start suffering a little bit more than us, and they are, so that’s why you see people changing and getting upset with Trump, because they are suffering a little bit more. We’ve always suffered. So we didn’t have to come from the top to drop to the bottom. They’re coming from the top and dropping to the bottom. Now they’re getting ready to make the change.

Antonio, 41, La., Democrat, lead cook

Concerned.

Ralph, 37, N.J., independent, wind turbine tech

Disillusioned.

Nichole, 54, Ind., Democrat, licensing coordinator

Uneasy.

Troie, 28, N.Y., independent, customer service supervisor

I feel uncertain.

Chereese, 55, Md., Democrat, administrative assistant

I feel indifferent about them because they’re not doing any more than the other ones, than the Republicans at this point.

Susan, 67, Wash., Democrat, library tech

I’m disappointed. Sorely disappointed in the Democratic Party.

Carla, 37, Ill., Democrat, clinical research coordinator

Maybe a little upset.

Al, 33, Ohio, Democrat, accountant

I feel mixed.

Michael, 51, Texas, Democrat, machine operator

I’m going to say hopeful.

Tim, 70, N.C., Democrat, warehouse manager

I would, too.

Chereese, 55, Md., Democrat, administrative assistant

Really? Tell me why.

Michael, 51, Texas, Democrat, machine operator

At this point in our politics, unfortunately, you’ve only got two parties. The Democrats are pretty much the only ones pushing against what’s going on. People sometimes look at what’s going on and they say, “Well, the Democrats aren’t doing anything. Well, what power do they have?” It’s not that they’re not doing anything. It’s that they don’t have the political power to do anything.

Tim, 70, N.C., Democrat, warehouse manager

Correct.

Michael, 51, Texas, Democrat, machine operator

That’s why we need to vote. We need to try to put people in power, even at the local level, and then work up from there.

Kenneth, 52, Tenn., Democrat, electronics training

The Democrats are leaderless. Normally by now someone would have established themselves as the next up-and-coming. But there is not a person you can name right now that could run for president and you would say he or she would probably win. People saw Obama coming before he got there. You knew he was almost there.

Kenneth, 52, Tenn., Democrat, electronics training

It does not have to be obvious, but the list should be narrowed to two or three people that you can look at and say, OK, they almost got this; I could see this person winning. I can see this person as the president.

Carla, 37, Ill., Democrat, clinical research coordinator

Well, it seems like they often change their votes at the last minute to go with the Republicans. Take the shutdown, for example. It feels like they just gave up.

Prince, 56, Ga., independent, operations manager

I said disappointed. I often feel that the Democratic Party is weak. When they do have the power, they don’t use it because they’re too busy trying to be nice and bipartisan and all this other stuff. But when the G.O.P. is in, they don’t care. They’ll tell you off the top, we’re going to pass this without your help, until they actually need it. And with the midterms, the only thing they’re talking about is we’re going to stop Trump, we’re going to stop this and we’re going to stop that. We know they’re not going to stop Trump. They’re going to probably try, but they’re not going to be able to do it. But what we need, we want to know what you’re going to do for the United States once you get in. What’s your policy? What are you going to do? And how?

Chereese, 55, Md., Democrat, administrative assistant

I don’t think they focus on anything. They just go into whatever space Trump is in and say they’re going to go against this. But then, when all the dust settles, we end up with the same. Or they don’t talk about it anymore. Like the Big Beautiful Bill. Oh, we’re not signing this until you do this and this. And then all of a sudden it is signed, and these people lose so much of their health care, and they throw them off Medicaid, and they throw them off subsidies that they actually need. Now these people are so much worse off than they were if you had still held the line.

Michael, 51, Texas, Democrat, machine operator

I think Democrats have been pretty good at focusing on affordability. I think that’s been a winning issue. I think that it can sometimes be difficult to stay on any one thing because Trump is so all over the place. He does one thing and then Democrats jump on it. And then five seconds later he’s on to something else, and then the Democrats jump on that. And you forgot what you were mad about two minutes ago and you’re mad about something else. So I just wish they would focus on the messaging that’s working for them now, which seems to be affordability. Everybody’s pocketbook is hurting. Stick to that. And stick to local issues; Zohran Mamdani in New York probably wouldn’t be able to win anywhere else, but he won there because he focused on local issues.

Troie, 28, N.Y., independent, customer service supervisor

I wish that they would do more. Someone said that they don’t take charge enough. It feels like they’re very timid or submissive when it comes to issues that are important to us as Black people. But maybe more outspoken for other groups.

Antonio, 41, La., Democrat, lead cook

Maybe more discussions on gun violence. But my concern for them is that they just — it’s as if they’ve given up the fight. They don’t have any fight left in them. We need more Democrats who are willing to step up to the plate and fight for the people.

Antonio, 41, La., Democrat, lead cook

Hearing more about what they’re doing and what’s going on. Like, everything you hear is about Trump and what they’re doing over there. You barely hear anything about what the Democrats are doing.

Tim, 70, N.C., Democrat, warehouse manager

The Democrats can’t do anything. They don’t control the House. They don’t control the Senate. So they do fight, but I wish the Democrats would say more about the Republicans when they can, about the economy, about the whole works of living as a normal person. But people are scared. You can’t say or do anything under this administration, under his power. He went to war and never even went to Congress to ask them. So I still believe in the Democratic Party. Yes, we can be stronger and not turn back, like John Fetterman and a few others who voted the wrong way. But they can’t say anything or do anything right now. They shouldn’t because they will be eaten alive. It’s going to be a time and a point when we can step out there. I think midterms will help us a lot.

Susan, 67, Wash., Democrat, library tech

I think the two-party system is just on its way out. I think it’s a dinosaur. I think the whole structure, the ideology of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, they merge so much. So I don’t really see that there’s something outstanding that the Democratic Party, the ideology or the people that work in there, that represents me. Tell me five things that Democrats are going to do for you. Can we do that? No. The G.O.P. is dirty. We should play dirty. But they play nice.

Troie, 28, N.Y., independent, customer service supervisor

I think Democrats are the best thing that we have going for us politically right now. I do find that sometimes they can be kind of performative when it comes to us and our culture. I don’t know if y’all remember when Nancy Pelosi was out there in the kente cloth, but I just thought that was like a mockery of us.

Ralph, 37, N.J., independent, wind turbine tech

I need to know what the Democratic Project 2025 is. What are your clear-cut goals and plans? I think health is a big part of it. So I don’t necessarily think the F.D.A. and the E.P.A. are run by qualified people. I think certain bills have been put to reduce funding to farms. And I think this is probably benefiting corporations that make more ultraprocessed foods. So I think it starts at every level.

Nichole, 54, Ind., Democrat, licensing coordinator

I feel represented by the Democrats. I’m here in Indiana, and they were trying to redistrict here because we have African American representatives in the two biggest counties within the state. And when they were going to try to redistrict, it would knock them completely out. But the state held fast and didn’t go along with the redistricting. And the person that’s representing us, I think he does a pretty decent job of it. Could he do better? Of course. They can all do better. But I think that he represents and he speaks to what we’re needing here in the city.

Carla, 37, Ill., Democrat, clinical research coordinator

I believe in the philosophy of the Democratic Party, what it originally stood for the last couple of years. I’m in Chicago, too, and we will likely also have a Black lieutenant governor and representative. And they’ve been trying to fight for the minorities, and against violence, and all the stuff that the Democratic Party originally stood for.

Susan, 67, Wash., Democrat, library tech

Jasmine Crockett — her voice, her strength of dedication. And she confronts those that try to demean her. Her verbal way of just coming back at them, like, look, don’t insult my intelligence.

Nichole, 54, Ind., Democrat, licensing coordinator

Yeah, she’s awesome.

Ralph, 37, N.J., independent, wind turbine tech

I agree. She makes me happy the way she doesn’t play the respectability politics game. And she is going to still be authentic while also code-switching and being professional.

Tim, 70, N.C., Democrat, warehouse manager

Look at the governor in Maryland, Wes Moore. Excellent.

Tim, 70, N.C., Democrat, warehouse manager

He’s another Obama, the way he carries himself, charismatic. Speaks well, looks good, educated. No scandals. Wife and children. Perfect.

Chereese, 55, Md., Democrat, administrative assistant

Wes Moore is a really good governor. He’s been doing a great job. And they don’t speak of him often, but he does do a great job here in Maryland, I believe that.

Ralph, 37, N.J., independent, wind turbine tech

I’m not from Georgia, but I think Stacey Abrams was done wrong. And that’s all I’m going to say on that.

Kenneth, 52, Tenn., Democrat, electronics training

This person I’m going to name, I think their upside is good: Jon Ossoff. He’s a potential candidate for president if he gets the financial backing. He’s not afraid to speak his mind. He’s not afraid to step up and lead. Sometimes you’ve got to say the negative things to get something positive done.

Al, 33, Ohio, Democrat, accountant

I also like Jasmine Crockett. I really like how she’s outspoken and she isn’t afraid to push back against other people who try to put her down or demean her in what she’s saying. I guess I was also really excited about Mamdani when he was campaigning to run for mayor last year. I really agree with a lot of his views and what he’s done for New York since he’s taken office.

Ralph, 37, N.J., independent, wind turbine tech

I think you need someone younger. The current candidates I’m seeing, I think maybe they started out with the right intention, but they’ve become too part of the political machine, if that makes sense. And so it seems like the wind has been taken out of their sails. So maybe if you got somebody who was accomplished, had this impressive résumé, and they hadn’t been jaded or beaten down or seen all the corruption and said, “Can’t beat them, might as well join them.”

Chereese, 55, Md., Democrat, administrative assistant

Yes.

Tim, 70, N.C., Democrat, warehouse manager

Oh, definitely. Yes, yes.

Michael, 51, Texas, Democrat, machine operator

I think we definitely need a younger group of people to be running for office. And not to say that there’s anything wrong with older people, but ——

Tim, 70, N.C., Democrat, warehouse manager

Yes, there is.

Michael, 51, Texas, Democrat, machine operator

Well, if you want to say it, I ain’t going to disagree.

Tim, 70, N.C., Democrat, warehouse manager

These old men that have been in there for 50 years, they got to go. That’s why we have the problems we have now. They got to go. We need young, progressive — it’s time to go. Look, I’m not even worried about them being Democrat or Republican. All of them up there. Look at that, they’re 97 years old. Times have changed.

Chereese, 55, Md., Democrat, administrative assistant

They need fresh thinking. There’s nothing wrong with being old. You’re old, but at some point you need to know that what you thought and what you did in your time is no longer what should be happening right now. And right now, we’re literally reverting back to the ’60s. You need some younger, fresh thoughts. These older people want to do what they’ve always done, and it’s not working.

Michael, 51, Texas, Democrat, machine operator

My only issue would be that a lot of these younger people come in with ideas that are pie-in-the-sky ideas.

Chereese, 55, Md., Democrat, administrative assistant

He just painted the reflecting pool. That was a pie-in-the-sky idea. And he’s 80 years old. Anything’s better than that.

Ralph, 37, N.J., independent, wind turbine tech

I think you need to avoid the word “liberal” if you want to make it. I think you kind of need to pander to those who are very strictly conservative and religious, because those are the ones who are going to go out in full force at the polls. And that’s all I’m going to say on that.

Carla, 37, Ill., Democrat, clinical research coordinator

I know a lot of younger people who in the last election voted independent, which kind of messed up the voting. So I’m not sure if “liberal” would be like a no-go for a Democratic person, because some people are wanting more of the progressive candidates.

Terrell, 21, Pa., Democrat, security officer

I would agree more with Ralph. You can’t go too liberal. You should be like, in God we trust, probably keep it to where you can get somewhat of a neutral standing, but not too much of one side. But I know it’s kind of hard, but more of a neutral in all ways, I would have to say.

Ralph, 37, N.J., independent, wind turbine tech

I pretty much compare what I think and what I see my parents think. My parents are extremely religious. I think a lot of other people have that mind-set. So I think you can’t openly be liberal. I think you have to be like a Trojan horse, tell people what they want to hear, and then do something that benefits everyone across the board.

Troie, 28, N.Y., independent, customer service supervisor

So I agree with Ralph with the thought that maybe a liberal, something liberal would be too extreme for some people. But I also agree with the fact that something more moderate or centrist is going to alienate younger voters. I think that, like Ralph was saying as well, we need to have some kind of Trojan horse where we’re appealing to the masses nationally, but then they come in and they do what needs to be done in a more progressive lens.

Nichole, 54, Ind., Democrat, licensing coordinator

You need to be a little bit of both. You’ve got to be willing to fight, and you’ve got to be willing to bring people together to the fight to make some strides.

Tim, 70, N.C., Democrat, warehouse manager

Yeah, there you go.

Michael, 51, Texas, Democrat, machine operator

I think you need somebody that’s kind of a mix of Gavin Newsom, who’s more of a fighter. You may not like the way he is, but he does fight back. I think you need somebody, a mix of that, and a mix of Joe Biden, who has his roots in the Senate and was more of a consensus builder and sought to get Republicans over on his side to help pass a lot of this legislation, because a lot of this stuff was bipartisan. You need somebody that knows how to walk that line.

Nichole, 54, Ind., Democrat, licensing coordinator

They’ve got to be a mixture.

Susan, 67, Wash., Democrat, library tech

I will not be voting for a candidate who doesn’t believe a woman should have autonomy over her body.

Chereese, 55, Md., Democrat, administrative assistant

Amen. Say it again.

Nichole, 54, Ind., Democrat, licensing coordinator

I will not be voting for a candidate who does not believe in equal rights for all parties.

Al, 33, Ohio, Democrat, accountant

I will not be voting for a candidate who doesn’t take a strong stance against police brutality or doesn’t advocate for gun control.

Terrell, 21, Pa., Democrat, security officer

Probably one who does not talk about change, especially in their economic stance. With the way it is now, if they don’t say a change, then why should I vote for you?

Kenneth, 52, Tenn., Democrat, electronics training

I will not be voting for a candidate who is not willing to take a stance. Tell me what you feel. Stick to what you feel. And also be willing to fight. If they go low, don’t go high. You go low, too. If you can show me that you would put up a fight, I can stand behind you.

Antonio, 41, La., Democrat, lead cook

That’s good.

Chereese, 55, Md., Democrat, administrative assistant

I will not vote for a candidate who does not have a plan in place to at least begin restructuring all of the things that this administration has dismantled. Like, you have to have a plan because it’s going to take years.

Chereese, 55, Md., Democrat, administrative assistant

Economically, everything. You fired a whole group of generals that knew what they were doing and would have never gotten us into this war. You fired them or told them to retire. You don’t know what you’re doing. So you have to start from a place of literally building this country brick by brick, and someone is going to have to speak to that.

Michael, 51, Texas, Democrat, machine operator

I would not vote for a Democrat who is a billionaire. I probably wouldn’t vote for one that’s a millionaire, as well. I would want that person to be as close to what real Americans are living as possible.

Chereese, 55, Md., Democrat, administrative assistant

There you go. That’s a good one, Michael. That’s a really good one.

Nichole, 54, Ind., Democrat, licensing coordinator

Stand up and fight for what’s right.

Terrell, 21, Pa., Democrat, security officer

I was just about to say stand up, too.

Prince, 56, Ga., independent, operations manager

I would say stop talking about the reflecting pool and the ballroom and spend more time talking about what you’re planning on doing, or what the Democrats are planning on doing about affordability and gas prices.

Troie, 28, N.Y., independent, customer service supervisor

I think that they need to really strategize and figure out what the plan is for 2028, how they’re going to approach that, who it’s going to be. Because I feel like if they don’t already know that, we’re behind, and that’s not a good thing.

Kenneth, 52, Tenn., Democrat, electronics training

Take a stance. Have a candidate or a couple of candidates in place that you feel like they have the potential to win the election. Because every day that you wait, the farther and farther we’re getting behind. So, within the next four months to six months, they need to come up with somebody, whether that’s Wes Moore, Jon Ossoff or Gavin Newsom. Pick someone.

Antonio, 41, La., Democrat, lead cook

Get loud, get angry. But be smart with every move you guys are making next.

Susan, 67, Wash., Democrat, library tech

Start your grass-roots platform. Start in these small communities. Put out a platform that people can believe in. Do a study like we’re doing now. Find out what does the populace want and need, more so than just assuming it from the last Democrat.

Antonio, 41, La., Democrat, lead cook

That’s right.

Nichole, 54, Ind., Democrat, licensing coordinator

No, too many.

Antonio, 41, La., Democrat, lead cook

We don’t need that many.

Nichole, 54, Ind., Democrat, licensing coordinator

We don’t need that many.

Antonio, 41, La., Democrat, lead cook

They need to narrow it down before it gets to us.

Chereese, 55, Md., Democrat, administrative assistant

Yeah. Get it down to three. Not 20.

Kenneth, 52, Tenn., Democrat, electronics training

Twenty is too high because 17 of them don’t have a chance in hell.

Tim, 70, N.C., Democrat, warehouse manager

I give Republicans credit. Whatever, if it’s bad or good, they all stick together. We have to be that way, too, whether it’s bad or not. Like Fetterman stepping out and voting with the Republicans on certain bills because he thinks it’s good for the country. And it may be, but we have to get a little stronger, and as most of them say, stand up and be a little bit more cohesive. Sometimes that’s why I say they need to clean out all the Congress and start again with something different. I don’t mean very young, but someone who has some experience. When Barack was there, he had been in the Senate, young, charismatic, and can stand and talk and speak and reach the people with the message.

Carla, 37, Ill., Democrat, clinical research coordinator

Get out more in the communities and see what the people are actually wanting change on and what the people are actually dealing with to see what can be worked toward once they become president, if they become president.