In their midterm campaign rhetoric, Democrats aim to center Elon Musk. They just do not know how long their adversary will be in existence to make a difference.
Democratic candidates and operatives are more determined than ever to target President Trump’s ally in cutting government services, especially in light of their recent victory in the Wisconsin Supreme Court and polls showing that Musk’s favorability is underwater.
Inside the GOP, though, there is already some worry that Musk won’t remain prominent enough to be a viable target all the way until 2026. Trump has recently taken measures to limit the influence of his special adviser and has informed people close to him that Musk will shortly retire. While Trump’s threats of worldwide tariffs have dominated headlines for the last two weeks, the scandals involving Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency have taken a back seat.
This has senior Democratic messaging experts wary about settling on a course of action so early.
“As long as he’s there using a chainsaw to all the programs that people back home rely on and need to make ends meet, of course we’re going to make him a central character,” said Lori Trahan, a Congresswoman from Massachusetts and co-chair of the House Democrats’ messaging committee, in a recent interview.
“At some point, he will become a liability for the president, and they will sever ties,” Trahan continued. As we approach the midterms, we will make the necessary adjustments.
The Democrats’ zeal for making Musk the center of attention shows no signs of waning just yet. As they launch their campaigns for the Senate, many candidates are drawing connections between Musk and Republican-backed policies that they say are meant to enrich the wealthy elite. In order to continue using Musk as a political foil, several Democrats in the House openly hope that he continues to intervene in important contests.
Democrats in Virginia, a state that serves as a barometer for national anti-Musk sentiment, have made the head of the Department of Government Efficiency a prominent figure in their campaigns for governor and the legislature.
For their part, Democrats should hope that Trump and Musk still have a ways to go before calling it quits.
Polls reveal that the general public views Musk with a more unfavorable light than Trump. Even while Democrats had trouble coming together in the first weeks of Trump’s second term to form a unified narrative, criticizing the billionaire served as an early unifier.
As a result of Trump and Musk’s attack on government agencies and essential safety-net programs, the party has been able to channel some of the rage that the public feels. Even though Musk donated millions to the Republican-backed candidate in Wisconsin’s Supreme Court contest earlier this month, Democrats won by a 10-point margin on its back. On the same night, Democrats triumphed in two special House elections in Florida, and they used Musk as a political stick.
The Democratic star recruit to replace retiring New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Rep. Chris Pappas, has subsequently used campaign launches to criticize a system that is “rigged” in favor of “billionaires like Elon Musk.” This week, Abdul El-Sayed started out even more strongly, urging people to “break the chokehold… Donald Trump and Elon Musk have on our politics and economy.” Some are sounding the alarm that the wealthiest guy in the world may use early fundraising to put up substantial funds to oppose them.
“At this time, [Musk] is both symbolically and literally the greatest opponent for Democrats,” stated Democratic pollster Paul Maslin. Going after Musk’s power grab and Musk’s money grab… is straightforward, and Trump showed us that politics works best when you’re direct and basic.
A movement is underway, nevertheless, among Democrats to shift their attention elsewhere. Others contend that Musk is only one of many billionaires—though the most prominent and wealthy—in a group that is gaining unusual favor with a US president whose policies would benefit their companies and personal wealth. A number of Democrats are carrying on with the post-election campaign for more kitchen-table rhetoric in an effort to regain the support of working-class voters who have been disproportionately impacted by Trump. For some, the key is to find a method to combine the two.
Democrats are currently facing “a terrible net negative” in Musk, according to Mark Longabaugh, a seasoned strategist and ex-Bernard Sanders advisor. All of Trump’s policies have ruined the economy and done nothing to alleviate inflation; in fact, they have made things worse. Furthermore, I believe that the elimination of Medicaid and the dangers to Social Security must rank quite high.
In their larger economic message, the House Democrats’ campaign arm portrayed Musk as only one component.
A spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, Viet Shelton, predicted that Democrats would triumph by drawing attention to the reality that Republicans are neglecting cost-cutting initiatives in favor of tax cuts for the extremely wealthy and large corporations, with the rest of us bearing the brunt of these policies’ costs. House Republicans serve the interests of the wealthy elite, not the American people, as Elon exemplifies (and will continue to do so).
It’s widely acknowledged that political priorities may change over time. As the tariff drama of this month has revealed, there are still many powerful elements that may influence the midterm elections; many Democrats are keeping their eye on the economy.
While Musk is “definitely not popular” in her state at the moment, Rep. Susie Lee, a vulnerable Democrat from Nevada who occupies a seat Trump won last year, emphasized in a recent interview that “there’s a lot of time between now and the midterms.”
Actually, a large number of Democrats are actively working to remove Musk from his position in the government. The head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas), has called on Musk to leave the White House no later than June, when his “special government employee” status will have expired after 130 days.
“I believe we can fire him, but he will still be a problem,” Casar said in a brief interview, indicating that his political resonance would continue even if his formal appointment was terminated.