The passage of Donald Trump’s budget bill has ignited a “storm of outrage” among Democrats, who are now actively mobilizing to make the controversial legislation a central theme of their campaign for the 2026 midterm elections. Party leaders are confident that public opposition to the bill’s provisions will translate into electoral gains.
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin explicitly stated the party’s intent, vowing to “fight back to make sure everybody knows exactly who is responsible for one of the worst bills in our nation’s history.” This signals a concerted effort to educate voters on the bill’s impact, particularly its cuts to social benefits and healthcare.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has already laid out key attack lines, emphasizing the stark contrast between permanent tax breaks for billionaires and the erosion of support for working-class families. The bill’s expansion of immigration enforcement, especially the “explosion” of ICE funding, is also a prime target for Democratic criticism.
The party plans to leverage dismissive remarks made by Republican senators regarding the bill’s human cost, such as Mitch McConnell’s “they’ll get over it” and Joni Ernst’s “we all are going to die,” to galvanize voter anger and drive turnout in the upcoming elections.