A word from DNC Chair Ken Martin

A Blue Wave doesn’t just happen, we make it happen. Why I’m confident — but not complacent — in the home stretch

Ken Martin
Sep 21

With less than 50 days until Election Day, Democrats have decisive momentum and hold a clear advantage over Republicans. Poll after poll after poll shows that voters prefer our candidates — especially on the top issues of the economy, healthcare, and the cost of living.

All signs point to Democrats winning up and down the ballot, all across the map, just like we’ve been doing since Trump took office. But as we put the pedal to the metal over the next seven weeks, it’s important to recognize that this momentum didn’t come about on its own. Every single day, Democrats are building momentum by competing for every vote and listening to Americans who too often have felt like politics has forgotten them. How are we doing this? Through our historic investments, our relentless focus on organizing, and our commitment to holding Trump and Republicans accountable for their constant failure.

FUNDRAISING

I’ve said it before, this DNC is shattering fundraising records. At this point in the cycle in 2018, we had raised $116 million. Today, that number is $216 million. Our superstar grassroots fundraising team just notched two of the biggest months of the cycle and hit a milestone: one million unique individual donors. These are everyday Americans — teachers, nurses, and veterans — who are pitching in what they can, $5 and $10 at a time, to support our efforts and build the infrastructure necessary to win.

To be clear, we know that Republicans have an edge from selling access to billionaires and auctioning off our government to the highest bidder. But while they sink lower and lower in the polls over their rising costs and brazen corruption, Democrats are doing the work to reach the voters who will decide the election.

The energy and enthusiasm at the grassroots level isn’t just showing up in our fundraising, it’s also reflected in our work to meet people where they are and where they get their information. Over the past year, our social team has hammered away at Trump and Republicans, bringing down their approval numbers and increasing our collective audience across all platforms to more than 14.4 million followers. In August alone, our accounts generated nearly 900 million impressions as we highlighted Democratic candidates and how Democrats are delivering at the federal, state and local levels.

ORGANIZING

Of course, this online work goes hand in hand with our work to organize communities and earn the trust of voters. In August, the DNC continued to make critical investments through our NextWave Regional Bootcamps, our When We Count voter registration fellowship, our Southern States Resource Hub, and our Local Listeners program.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that elections are won with hard work and listening to Americans, recruiting volunteers, registering voters, knocking on doors, and building community one voter at a time.

For too long, Democrats had a myopic vision where we focused on the election in front of us instead of building long-term capacity and permanent political infrastructure. The old strategy of boom-and-bust cycles failed us, which is why, as we invest in organizing ahead of the 2026 midterms, we’re also bolstering capacity that campaigns and candidates can rely on in cycles to come.

FIGHTING BACK

Finally, Democrats have generated the momentum we have by exposing the failures and broken promises of Trump and Republicans.

Trump’s midterm convention in Dallas is a perfect example. Republicans spent millions of dollars putting on a dog-and-pony show for Trump’s fragile ego, even as vulnerable candidates tried — and failed — to distance themselves. Despite empty seats and Americans tuning into the NFL’s opening games instead, Republicans are tied to Trump like an anchor and are sinking faster than his record-low approval numbers.

It’s the gift that keeps on giving for Democrats, but we can’t just sit by and let it happen. We need to continue reminding voters what is at stake and drawing a sharp contrast between what we will do with our power and what Republicans have done.

At the end of the day, that is why we do this work. It’s not to win elections and pat ourselves on the back for a job well done. It’s to get into office to improve people’s lives. Americans are suffering under Trump and Republicans. There is simply too much at stake for us to fail to meet the moment.

With costs soaring and families being squeezed at the grocery store, at the gas pump, and practically everywhere else, Democrats have concrete plans to make life more affordable. We’re running to clean up corruption, end the chaos, and bring down the costs that Trump and Republicans have sent through the roof. And while polls show us ahead with less than 50 days to go, we’re not taking anything for granted.

We’re going to continue raising money, organizing communities, and talking to voters to generate another Blue Wave and deliver the better future that we know is possible.

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