Good evening. Tonight, Democrats from a potentially crucial presidential primary state tell us what it takes to win.
Booze, brunch and the Bible: Democrats weigh how to win in South Carolina
At a lunch last week in Charleston, a group of South Carolina Democratic lawmakers and political strategists chatted about connecting with Democratic voters in their often-crucial presidential primary state. They were also unsparing as they dissected their party’s problems. “Somebody made a comment to me that the Democratic Party sounds like A.I., but dumber,” offered Richie Gergel, who leads a group called the Peninsula Democrats, which is focused on engaging younger voters and transplants in Charleston. The event was moderated by Representative Jake Auchincloss of Massachusetts, the chair of Majority Democrats, an organization that includes a number of prominent center-left politicians. It is working to “build out the ideological, campaign, communications infrastructure so that when that lightning bolt strikes in 2028,” Auchincloss told the room, “it doesn’t strike in an open field.” Nodding to the role South Carolina often plays in determining the party’s nominee, he asked participants to lay out what national Democrats need to understand about the state ahead of 2028. I was the only reporter in attendance and wanted to tell you about the most interesting things I learned, and why you should care. First, while we don’t yet know the order of the Democratic primary contests, South Carolina is a favorite to vote somewhere in the early-window lineup, which could again give its voters an outsize role in picking the next nominee. What South Carolina Democrats think really matters. And their views are definitely not always in line with the national conventional wisdom or chatter on social media. Second, the lunch offered a window into the mood of beleaguered red-state Democrats. While some of the discussion focused on now-familiar affordability concerns and the need for authenticity in candidates, I also heard some surprising takeaways about how Democratic presidential hopefuls should think about competing in South Carolina. Here are a few: You have a plan for that? Save it for your website.At the start of the 2020 presidential campaign, Democratic candidates couldn’t release their lengthy, sometimes academic-sounding policy proposals fast enough. At the recent Charleston event, several argued that extensive plans are overrated. Instead, they advised, be memorable and focus on connecting at a personal level. “We have a plan for everything," said Scott Harriford, a Democratic strategist. “It’s, you know, 30 bullet points and very detailed. But it needs to be boiled down into quick sound bites” that can be easily repeated. State Representative Spencer Wetmore was more blunt. “Create a community around shared values first,” she said. “I don’t want to hear any policy proposals. I don’t want to hear about your plan.” She added, “When we talk about authenticity, we’re talking about a candidate who clearly, clearly communicates a set of shared values, first and foremost. And then, if you want to have some policy proposals to back it up, great. Or just put them on your website.” Make Democratic Politics Fun Again.During their campaigns, President Trump and Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York have been skilled at making their supporters feel as if they are a part of a movement and a cultural phenomenon, creating a sense of community around their events. That’s exactly what Democrats should be doing now, attendees said. A few local party activists talked about engaging voters through happy hours, workout classes and other gatherings that get drinks into people’s hands — leading, they stressed, with culture first. Down the street a day earlier, another group of Democratic political strategists offered similar advice while speaking at a strategy summit organized by Third Way, the centrist advocacy group and think tank. “Campaigns come in and want to do these cookie-cutter town halls,” said Jalisa Washington-Price, a Democratic strategist, on a Third Way panel. “They’re not exciting.” She encouraged candidates to engage early, in particular with Black women, a key constituency in the state. “We want to have a brunch after church,” she said. “We want to dress up and we want to go to good events.” Don’t cede values of faith and patriotism to the Republicans.South Carolina Democrats are keenly aware of how Republicans tend to caricature their party. “The Republican Party has done a really, really good job of connecting their party with Christianity,” said Friend Gray, a party activist in the area. At the same time, she added, Democrats are portrayed as, “‘We’re only just focused on those trans athletes.’” Attendees warned candidates about letting Republicans lay sole claim to values like faith, patriotism and the importance of hard work. And certainly, for a number of increasingly prominent Democrats — from State Representative James Talarico, who just won the Democratic Senate primary in Texas, to Governors Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Andy Beshear of Kentucky, both potential presidential candidates — faith is a central part of their public personas. And they warned visiting presidential contenders against talking down to South Carolinians. “We are a joy-filled people,” Brady Quirk-Garvan, a Democratic strategist, said on the Third Way panel. “We understand we go through hardships, but we want to believe in something. We’re a religious state. We want to have faith in something. And faith in things requires joy, requires optimism and a sense that tomorrow will be better. And I think any candidate that leads with that is going to do well in South Carolina.”
QUOTE OF THE DAY “It just seems so insane.”That was Joe Rogan, the popular podcast host, criticizing Trump’s offensive in Iran and suggesting that Americans felt “betrayed” by the president. The remarks are notable from Rogan, who delivered Trump a late boost in the 2024 race but has increasingly appeared skeptical of his administration, my colleague Tim Balk reports. Got a tip?
The Trump administration’s meme warAs airstrikes and drone warfare spread across the Middle East, the White House's social media accounts have taken an unusual approach — blasting out trolling videos with clips from TV shows like “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” movies like “John Wick” and “Braveheart” or video games like “Call of Duty.” The memes, my colleague James Poniewozik posits, suggest that the “brainrot” era of wartime propaganda has arrived.
‘Floridamaxxing’ on the far rightHe may not become governor of Florida, but James Fishback has certainly made Republicans take notice of his long-shot campaign. With his nativist America First stances and courting of controversy with edgelord flair, my colleague Nathan Taylor Pemberton writes, he is reflecting sentiments shared by some young conservatives on social media who at times break with the Trump administration.
ONE LAST THING Will Jill Biden settle her scores?In June, the former first lady Jill Biden is set to release a memoir, “View from the East Wing,” that chronicles her White House experience — including her husband’s disastrous bid for re-election in 2024. She is famously protective of former President Joe Biden, and it is worth watching how hard she hits politicians in the party who turned on her husband after his halting debate performance. Most Democrats, of course, now want to move on from the Biden era. Taylor Robinson and Tara Terranova contributed reporting. Read past editions of the newsletter here. If you’re enjoying what you’re reading, please consider recommending it to others. They can sign up here. Have feedback? Ideas for coverage? We’d love to hear from you. Email us at onpolitics@nytimes.com.
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