The hot takes on what Democrats must do continue, with some suggesting “woke” or trans rights are to blame, despite those not being key campaign issues. This line of thinking essentially implies that Democrats should attack trans people, which is misguided. Throwing any part of the coalition under the bus is a bad idea, especially without fully understanding the demographic nuances from Election Day (I repeat: exit polls are often way wrong).

But we can look at general trends and hear voters’ perspectives, and it’s clear many had misinformed views on key issues and didn’t see Trump as a serious threat. One thing is clear: Democrats need to rethink their media strategy.

I’ve worked in media and communications for 35 years, and it’s obvious to me that the current approach isn’t working. Harris made strides by targeting non-traditional media like podcasts, but Democrats need to adopt a more relentless, year-round media strategy, similar to right-wing outlets like Fox News. In many places, especially outside of cities, Fox is on everywhere—Democrats don’t seem to grasp how constant this influence is. I know this because I live in a red area and trust me, if there is a waiting room with a TV, the odds are good it will be tuned to Fox. I think if non-rural Democrats spent a week with rural voters and saw how bombarded these people are with right-wing propaganda from the moment they wake up to the moment they shut off their screens in bed, they would realize how much of an emergency this is.

To compete, Democrats must heavily invest in media, hiring charismatic voices who can connect with voters beyond the traditional base. They should also appear on platforms like Joe Rogan or Fox News. I wish Bernie Sanders would have shut up last week, but his appearances on Rogan and Fox are great examples of communicating to red-state voters. Another person who has done well at this is Pete Buttigieg, who has gone on Fox and not backed down from the nonsense while at the same time getting our message across.

As media critic John Stoehr argues, Democrats have strong policy ideas but outdated ways of communicating them. Progressive ideas did well in this election when separated from candidates, showing that it’s not the policies but the messaging that is failing. Stoehr links in his piece to another post by Matthew Sheffield, who argues that Republicans have created a massive far-right ecosystem that the Democratic Party has to counter.

Republicans will continue spreading misinformation, and Democrats can’t rely on outlets like The New York Times or CNN to push back. We need a more aggressive approach, countering inevitable gaslighting narratives that we have on our horizon. Trump will likely try to claim credit for any economic benefit now bearing fruit thanks to Biden’s bills, like the Infrastructure Act or the CHIPS Act. Right-wing media will no doubt tell Americans that the Walmart sneakers they bought for 30 bucks in 2024 that are 40 bucks in late 2025 were actually 50 bucks under Biden. They will also attempt to spin or outright hide the horrors to come from mass deportation. Democrats must counter this.

One thing to consider is out-bragging Trump. He shamelessly took credit for COVID relief checks, and it worked. Democrats should be just as bold in claiming their successes, such as signs at construction sites funded by Biden’s bills that loudly proclaim that this new factory is thanks to the Biden administration.

This isn’t to dismiss the sexist and racist factors in Harris’ loss or to criticize her campaign. She had little time to counter four years of right-wing Trump campaigning. But going forward, fixing the media problem is crucial for Democrats.

The last word goes to Paramore.