How Democrats Break Through in 2026

Playbook: “Third Way, the center-left think tank, is releasing its latest slate of polling today capturing the mood after the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term — and making the case for the kind of messaging it believes Democrats need to deploy to break through. The poll’s main takeaway? You guessed it: It’s still the economy, stupid.”

“The numbers: Of the 2,000 registered voters surveyed in the poll, shared exclusively with Playbook, 84 percent say they’re experiencing high inflation, 60 percent believe the economy isn’t growing and 66 percent think unemployment is increasing. The survey finds Republicans and Democrats tied at 38 percent on which party is most trusted to handle the economy. Democrats are up by 11 points on handling cost-of-living concerns, up 6 points on energy costs and tariffs, up 20 points on health care … and the list continues.”

“Among the most intriguing points is the issue that broke through the most with voters: food assistance. Following the government shutdown when millions were facing a lapse in food stamps through SNAP, coupled with concerns over grocery prices, food ranked as the most salient issue for voters among the 14 that Third Way tested.”