Dems target Trumponomics at retreat
Plus: Senate Dems rebuff House GOP’s funding bill (for now) and inside the House Dems’ culture war playbook.
👋🏾 Hi, hey, hello! First things first: I’m reporting tonight from Leesburg, Va., where House Democrats have kicked off their annual policy retreat. Day one news and notes are below—plus, ICYMI, my preview from yesterday.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) announced she won’t seek re-election in 2026, becoming the third Senate Democrat to bow out after Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.). The 78-year-old former governor was the first woman elected to the Senate from New Hampshire. Keep an eye on Rep. Chris Pappas(D-N.H.) as a potential contender to succeed her. Know more
Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.)—who succeeded Ben Cardin last cycle—introduced her first bill, calling for a federal investigation into the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariff policy, particularly its threat to imports from Mexico and Canada. Know more
Now, onto everything else worth knowing from Leesburg before you call it a night–straight from my notebook to your inbox.
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Dems target Trumponomics at retreat
House Democratic leaders opened their annual retreat with a full-throated attack on Trump’s economic record, blaming his policies—especially new tariffs on U.S. allies—for reversing their progress in lowering inflation and stabilizing markets.
Allow me to explain: House Democrats know that living costs are the top issue for voters—regardless of party. They see a clear, aggressive economic message as crucial to winning back the House next year.
In his own words: House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) dismissed claims by President Trump that today’s economic turmoil is a Biden hangover, not a consequence of the steep tariffs his administration has imposed on U.S. allies, which has led to a trade war and a stock market sell-off.
“All of that uncertainty—the American public may not follow every in and out, but they know that these guys are not fighting for them.”
Rather than trying to match Trump’s megaphone or the conservative media machine, Aguilar said Democrats are focused on reaching voters who want a check on Trump 2.0.
“We’re trying to reach more people to get our positive message about the country and what we stand for.”
Not so fast: Republicans, for their part, see Trump’s return as a mandate for bold conservative change—and view Democratic opposition as nothing more than obstruction.
“They argue that his trade policies are a necessary course correction, even as markets react with volatility and investors brace for more economic uncertainty.”
In the know: Leadership also emphasized party unity, pointing to near-unanimous opposition to a GOP funding bill on Tuesday and a total rejection of a Republican budget blueprint that calls for billions of dollars in cuts to Medicaid.
Looking ahead: But the real test of Democratic unity won’t come from the podium—it’ll come from what members say behind closed doors as the retreat continues.
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Senate Dems’ funding rebuff
Senate Democrats emerged from an extended lunch this afternoon, unwilling to provide Republicans the votes needed to advance the GOP-backed funding bill that House Democrats strongly opposed on Tuesday.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) finds himself in a difficult position: Face intense backlash from his dissatisfied base for potentially bailing out Republicans on a bill they crafted without Democratic input or risk GOP attacks for enabling a shutdown that would hurt millions more Americans than the Department of Government Efficiency, which Democrats have slammed for its aggressive cuts to federal funding and the workforce.
Allow me to explain: Sixty votes are required to advance most major legislation in the Senate.
With Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) publicly opposed to the bill and Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) in support, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (D-S.D.) still needs seven Democratic votes to limit debate. (A simple majority is required for final passage.)
House Democrats have urged their Senate counterparts to hold the line, even if it risks a government shutdown.
Senate Democrats have supported a four-week funding extension to allow more time for bipartisan negotiations.
But even if the Senate were to consider a stopgap, the House is in recess until March 24.
What they’re saying: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) told reporters that behind-the-scenes discussions are ongoing.
“The House Democratic position is crystal clear, as evidenced by the strong vote of opposition that we took yesterday on the House floor.”
“I don’t know why anyone would support that bill,” House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) added. “There is nothing in this bill that gives the certainty the American public needs.”
House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) also weighed in: “We’re asking Senate Democrats to vote no on this. Every bad thing that now happens with DOGE and Donald Trump, Elon Musk, you can trace it back to this vote.”
Looking ahead: The government will shut down Saturday at midnight without congressional action.
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House Dems’ culture war playbook
House Democrats believe they have Republicans on the defensive regarding the economy. But the GOP sees the upper hand on immigration, public safety, and culture-war issues like trans rights and DEI initiatives.
Allow me to explain: Republicans have leaned heavily on cultural anxieties, economic concerns, and public safety fears to advance their narrative.
This strategy has allowed them to frame the GOP as the party of order, tradition, and common sense—contrasting sharply with what they portray as Democrats’ chaotic, progressive agenda.
What they’re saying: The three co-chairs of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee told me House Democrats have a strong counter-message rooted in unity and shared values. They’re focusing on economic concerns like healthcare and Social Security while drawing a sharp contrast with Republican priorities–such as tax cuts for billionaires.
Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) pointed to a mid-January bill on a trans sports ban, which the DPCC rebranded as the “Child Sexual Predator Empowerment Act” to highlight what they saw as its risks for children.
• “A lot of people in this country might not fully understand what it means to be a trans person. They might still be figuring that out,” Frost said. “But most people in this country are against discrimination. Most people in this country don’t want people to be bullied, and that’s what we leaned in on.”
The bill passed the House but stalled in the Senate, which Frost credited to Democratic messaging.
Rep. Lori Trahan (D-Mass.) dismissed the culture wars as a distraction.
“There’s a lot of things that Republicans want to talk about. There’s a lot of things that they want to put their campaign donations behind,” she told me. “But we’re in touch with the American people because we face them every chance we get and we listen to them. Republicans aren’t doing that.”
Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.) tied the conversation back to Hill Republicans' efforts to extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts.
“We should not be distracted. When polling asks voters what their number-one issue is, they say inflation and the economy. Meanwhile, Republicans’ top priority is tax cuts for billionaires. They are the ones who are out of touch. We are the ones working hard for working people.”
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