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Toward the end of her 2024 campaign, Kamala Harris made a big mistake. Having gained traction by talking about “joy” and “freedom,” she panicked and reverted back to apocalyptic warnings about Trump.
Today, those warnings read like a prophecy. But — and this part is key — she still lost.
The lesson? Shouting “democracy is on the ballot” isn’t a cheat code for winning elections.
If the artificial intelligence boom happens while President Trump is in office, he’ll be blamed for the loss of millions of middle-class jobs. But will Democrats offer a vision for a new workforce?
In fact, in 2024, many voters who claimed democracy was their top issue pulled the lever for … Donald Trump (which is sort of like saying your top priority is dental hygiene, and then brushing your teeth with a Hershey’s bar).
This, of course, brings us to current events. Trump is working overtime to prove Harris was right. He has federalized and militarized the Washington police, deployed the National Guard and threatened similar action in Chicago and Baltimore.
Trump’s FBI searched John Bolton’s house, and he floated reopening the “Bridgegate” — because nothing screams strength like digging up a 10-year-old scandal to punish Chris Christie for being mean.
If they hear one more lecture about toxic masculinity, they’re likely to vote for the most toxic guy in the room.
He also signed an executive order against flag burning — complete with talk of a one-year mandatory jail sentence. Because, you know, free speech.
Trump cut a deal giving the U.S. government a 10% stake in the chipmaker Intel. Because socialism is now apparently good.
And ICE? They detained Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Again. Last time, he was deported to El Salvador. This time, they’re trying to ship him to Uganda. Next time? Maybe outer space.
Meanwhile, Trump fired Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook, a move that seems aimed at pressuring the Fed to cut interest rates.
And just in case the “North Korean dictator” optics weren’t already obvious, the Labor Department unfurled a huge banner featuring Trump’s head.
It’s frustrating to watch the systematic and never-ending erosion of American norms and institutions while most Americans collectively yawn. But the truth is that most voters don’t clutch their pearls over this kind of stuff.
To Joe Sixpack, deploying the National Guard sounds like fighting crime. And having your home searched by the FBI feels like the kind of thing you only have to worry about if you’re an elite — and probably deserve it. (Hell, half the electorate probably thinks John Bolton is that guy who sang “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You.”)
To everyday people, this all feels abstract, and abstract doesn’t resonate with most voters. Indeed, it turns them off.
That’s the paradox. Lean too heavily into liberal democracy, and Democrats sound like out-of-touch hall monitors. Ignore Trump’s power grabs, and they look complicit or spineless to their base. Either way, they lose.
So what’s left? The same thing that’s always mattered the most to the most voters: the economy.
In 2024, Trump turned inflation into a cudgel. Americans obsessively worried about the cost of eggs. Not the Constitution. Not norms. Not Trump’s promise of retribution or talk of being a dictator for “Day One.” Eggs!
And boy did it work. After the election, a whopping 32% of voters said the economy was the most important issue that influenced their vote.
Now, the script has flipped. Trump promised lower grocery prices “on Day One.” Instead, prices are up again — and his tariffs and immigration policies will only push them higher. (Ditto forcing the Fed to lower interest rates, a move that is likely to spur inflation on all sorts of consumer items.)
That’s the opening Democrats have needed.
Don’t just take my word for it. While Trump was busy running amok, Democrat Catelin Drey won a huge double-digit special election victory for an Iowa state Senate seat previously held by a Republican.
And what was Drey’s election about? “The main frustration point that I am hearing is that we have an affordability crisis,” she told the Des Moines Register. “And folks are really feeling that in their pocketbooks and in their spending decisions.”
The big lesson we can take from Drey’s victory and Harris’ defeat isn’t that “democracy doesn’t matter”; it’s that you can’t lead with a civics lecture. Lead with groceries and rent and child care.
So don’t just say Trump is eroding democracy, say he’s eroding your savings. Don’t just say he’s breaking norms, say he’s breaking the bank. Don’t just talk about Trump’s empty promises, talk about empty shelves, empty wallets, empty refrigerators.
Because here’s the dark truth about the current state of America: You won’t save democracy by talking about democracy or by calling Trump an authoritarian. The only way to save democracy is to prove it’s better — and cheaper! — than the alternative.
Matt K. Lewis is the author of “Filthy Rich Politicians” and “Too Dumb to Fail.”
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Ideas expressed in the piece
Warnings about democracy being “on the ballot” failed as an electoral strategy, as evidenced by Kamala Harris’s loss despite accurately predicting Trump’s authoritarian actions. Many voters who claimed democracy was their top concern still voted for Trump, demonstrating the ineffectiveness of this messaging approach.
Trump’s current actions, including federalizing Washington police, deploying the National Guard, and various other power grabs, validate concerns about democratic erosion but don’t resonate with ordinary voters who view these issues as abstract and disconnected from their daily lives.
Most Americans don’t respond to constitutional concerns because they seem elitist and theoretical, while actions like FBI searches feel like problems that only affect political elites who probably deserve scrutiny anyway.
Economic issues, particularly grocery prices and inflation, remain the primary driver of voter behavior, as demonstrated by 32% of voters citing the economy as their most important issue in 2024 and recent Democratic victories focused on affordability rather than democracy.
Democrats face a strategic paradox where focusing too heavily on liberal democracy makes them appear out-of-touch, while ignoring Trump’s authoritarian actions makes them seem complicit, creating a lose-lose scenario for traditional democratic messaging.
The most effective approach for protecting democracy involves proving that democratic governance delivers better economic outcomes, essentially saving democracy through economic success rather than constitutional arguments.
Different views on the topic
Democracy scholars largely agree that American democracy faces substantial threats, with the likelihood of dramatic and lasting changes to the political system being significant enough to warrant serious attention even if the probability remains below 50%[1]. Furthermore, a majority of Americans recognize the severity of the situation, with 57% believing the country is experiencing a constitutional crisis that represents a breakdown of normal constitutional order[2].
Trump’s recent actions demonstrate concrete threats to democratic institutions that extend beyond abstract concerns, including systematic attempts to circumvent Congress, refusal to comply with court orders, and concerning statements that the judicial system cannot check executive power[2]. These actions represent what scholars identify as preconditions for regime change, even under narrow definitions of democracy focused solely on free and fair elections[1].
The Trump administration’s takeover of Washington law enforcement represents unprecedented federal overreach that raises serious constitutional questions, including potential violations of the Posse Comitatus Act and improper use of emergency powers[4]. Legal experts argue that the administration’s interpretation of statutory authority exceeds what the law actually permits, particularly regarding federal control over local police departments.
Political scientists and observers note that Trump’s actions since January 2025 strongly resemble the “autocratic playbook” used by leaders in countries where democracy has been significantly eroded, drawing comparisons to democratic backsliding in Hungary, India, Poland, and other nations[3]. Some experts contend that the United States has already slipped into the category of competitive authoritarian regimes, arguing that checks and balances are actively failing[3].
Counter-mobilization against democratic erosion may prove effective, as aggressive multi-front approaches like Trump’s current strategy can provoke significant resistance even from sympathetic observers within the Republican Party who may be forced to acknowledge threats to democracy[1]. Additionally, the speed and visibility of democratic backsliding in America may actually help defenders of democracy recognize dangers and act before it becomes too late[1].
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