NJ-11: Democrats return to democracy messaging in NJ special election
Democrats are bullish that a laser-focus on the economy — which helped deliver wins across the country in 2025 — will buoy them in the midterms.
But in one of the first major races of 2026, some candidates are betting that affordability messaging lends itself to a familiar issue — and one that Democrats have increasingly moved away from in recent years: democracy.
Ahead of the February special election for New Jersey’s 11th District, former Rep. Tom Malinowski recently hosted a town hall with Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin about “defending our democracy from Trump,” followed by a “democracy dialogue” with New Jersey Sen. Andy Kim. In a screening process for an endorsement from county leaders, Passaic County Commissioner John Bartlett discussed his experience with addressing affordability — only after he argued that sending a voting rights lawyer to Congress is “essential” to “protecting American democracy.” And visitors to Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way’s campaign site see her prominently described as a “democracy champion.”
In the years after the 2021 Capitol riot, Democrats have grappled with how to message on democracy — an issue that has proven to motivate their base but has not been as effective with swing voters who have rising costs top of mind. In 2024, some Democrats expressed concern about then-Vice President Kamala Harris’ focus on fascism criticisms while Donald Trump led on the economy. And further down the ballot, even Democrats running against Republicans who had connections to the insurrection said that their message had to be about more than just democracy.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/02/democrats-return-to-democracy-messaging-in-nj-special-election-00704771
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