David M. Drucker

The Democrats’ Next Step | Interview: Liam Kerr A thought-provoking look at the internal debates shaping the future of the Democratic Party.

NEW: My #SkiffCast Interview w/ @liamkerr.bsky.social
on the trials & tribulations of pushing the Democratic Party to the competitive center. thedispatch.com/podcast/the-... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social

Not necessarily true and that's the assumption Republicans made in 2022 (in the opposite direction) and it turned out to be a faulty assumption. But, we shall see.

Def a problem w/ Dem voters. Not so sure this is the problem Dems are having w/ independents.

The Lawsuit That Could Upend Campaign Finance Law A conservative group is arguing that limits on issue-advocacy organizations are unconstitutional.

NEW: Tax-exempt issue-advocacy organizations, shielded from publicizing donors, could be empowered to substantially increase participation in traditional electioneering, depending on the outcome of case in the federal courts. thedispatch.com/article/camp... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social

Republicans See No ‘Blue Wave’ on Horizon—Unless Economy Falters Party operatives point to the president’s resilience and the Democrats’ struggles as reasons to be optimistic about the 2026 midterms.

NEW: In striking reversal frm TRUMP’s 1st term, Republicans are cautiously optimistic abt looming midterms, content w/ POTUS’s provocative unconventionality but concerned abt the most normal of concerns: potential 4 backlash over economy thedispatch.com/article/repu... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social

It was close by the raw votes but the shift of multiple key demographics toward Trump, plus his sweep of the most contested swing states, equals “commanding.” Far from a landslide to be sure, but commanding is an apt description

Why Not? The postliberal logic of frivolously charging James Comey.

"Charging Comey does one more thing for Trump. It warns his adversaries that he’s getting more aggressive in his authoritarianism and therefore that the price of challenging him is rising." --Nick Catoggio

thedispatch.com/newsletter/b...

Can Pragmatism Save the Democratic Party? A collection of center-left groups seeks to repeat the success of the Democratic Leadership Council in the late 1980s.

NEW: A collection of Democratic-aligned groups are seeking to overthrow prevailing liberal orthodoxy & transform the party into one voters might entrust w/ the keys to the country. Can they repeat the success the DLC had 40 years prior? thedispatch.com/article/demo... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social

America’s Marijuana Debate Is Flawed The default position should be liberty, not prohibition.

DISPATCH DEBATE: “The question should be whether prohibition advocates can meet the heavy burden of justifying why adults should face criminal penalties for private choices about their own bodies and consciousness.” --@ConLawWarrior

thedispatch.com/debates/mari...

I emphasized that govt infringement is worse. BUT: Sometimes both sides are involved. And the point I was making is that both sides arguing that my speech codes are okay because xxx but yours aren’t because xxx has led us to this place. (And the left has engaged in similar behavior over the years.)

...However, the argument that one side's infringement isn't as bad as the other side's infringement, while accurate, doesn't happen to be a great argument, IMHO. ... Appreciate the feedback.

Not what I did. I EXPLAINED conservative complaints about 1A infringement prior to 2nd Trump admin, as way to also EXPLAIN how Trump's vow to "restore" free speech, given his stated view it needed restoring, have fallen by the wayside, to say nothing of his admin's attacks on free speech ...

Trump Gets His Rate Cut After months of pressure from the president, Jerome Powell announced an expected rate cut Wednesday.

"After months of pressure from the president, Jerome Powell announced an expected rate cut Wednesday." Morning Dispatch:

thedispatch.com/newsletter/m...

The Right’s Growing Animus Toward Israel Young populists find U.S. aid for the Jewish state incompatible with ‘America First.’

NEW: Surging opposition to Israel in Democratic Party—especially among grassroots progressives on college campuses—is obscuring a growing hostility to the Jewish state on populist right, particularly among younger conservative men. thedispatch.com/article/repu... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social

For GOP Candidates, the Path to Victory Starts With Trump How primary campaigns vie to earn the president’s endorsement.

NEW(ish): Competition for TRUMP’s endorsement in key primaries has evolved into a distinct, methodical process that cand's prioritize higher than wooing voters, befitting POTUS' remarkable influence in GOP nominating contests. thedispatch.com/article/trum... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social

Not good, at all. But I tend to think that's the case because of the economy, inflation, tariffs, etc (plus other bread and butter issues.)

Scenes From a Protest on the Delaware Shore How some grassroots Democrats are coping with Trump's second term.

NEW from REHOBOTH BEACH: Scenes From a Protest Along the Delaware Shore. How some grassroots Democrats are coping w/ TRUMP's 2nd term. thedispatch.com/article/demo... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social

How Democrats Are Confronting Divisions Over Cultural Issues Leftists and centrists largely agree the party needs to improve its messaging on the economy.

NEW: Defiant Democratic activists are rejecting warnings frm party strategists that left-wing positions on visceral cultural issues are pushing away coveted voting blocs Dems need to rebound in future elections. thedispatch.com/article/demo... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social

DNC Meeting Highlights Party’s Divide Over Israel Chairman Ken Martin seeks to head off infighting after a resolution calling for an arms embargo fails.

NEW from MINNEAPOLIS: Sharp Dem divisions over U.S. support for Israel became plainly apparent during DNC summer mtg, prompting Chair Ken Martin to hastily announce a task force to further debate party’s position on the issue. thedispatch.com/article/dnc-... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social

Newsom Targets Trump as Redistricting Fight Takes Shape Democrats are hopeful a proposed congressional map in California could offset potential House gains in Texas.

NEW: @gavinnewsom.bsky.social is framing his gambit to counter TX and squeeze more Democratic seats out of CA mid-decade as a high-stakes fight w/ TRUMP for control of the House of Representatives. thedispatch.com/article/news... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social

Jewish Democrats Labor to Maintain Party’s Support for Israel But a leading group argues the GOP has yet to benefit from Democrats’ division over the Jewish state.

NEW: Jewish Democrats Labor to Maintain Party’s Support for Israel. But a leading group argues GOP has yet to benefit from Democrats’ division over the Jewish state. thedispatch.com/article/jewi... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social

It’s (Still) the Economy, Stupid Affordability is emerging as a top issue for off-year elections and next year’s midterms.

NEW: Candidates for office this year & next are focusing specifically on “affordability,” a rising issue distinct from jobs, wages and recently, inflation, that have typically topped voters' list of economic concerns. thedispatch.com/article/repu... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social

The Autopen Is Popular—and Bipartisan Republicans have questioned the validity of Biden’s autopen signatures, but many in Congress use the same tool.

NEW from Charles Hilu: The Autopen Is Popular—and Bipartisan. Republicans have questioned the validity of Biden’s autopen signatures, but many in Congress use the same tool. thedispatch.com/article/auto... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social

On Trump, Gaza, and the Perils of a Blank Check for Israel Is the President flip-flopping on Israel's war, or just muddling through?

Trump’s blank check for Bibi has been terrible for Israel…

My new column: www.newyorker.com/news/letter-...

New York Professionals Increasingly Anxious About Zohran Mamdani The Democratic mayoral nominee’s agenda is rattling the suit-and-tie set.

NEW: New York professionals staring down possibility of Zohran Mamdani as next mayor are caught between hopeful & terrified as they contemplate life under an avowed socialist who wants to raise taxes, expand govt & deprioritize policing. thedispatch.com/article/mamd... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social

Poll: New York Dems side with Mamdani on Israel, Netanyahu New York City’s Democratic primary voters overwhelmingly believe that Israel is “committing genocide” in Gaza.

New poll: The vast majority of NYC Dem primary voters agree with Mamdani’s Israel positions, even arresting Bibi.

57% say they’d be less likely to support incumbent Dems who don’t endorse Mamdani. That includes Schumer and Jeffries right now. www.semafor.com/article/07/2...

As Trade Deal Looms, Trump Goes Soft on China Taiwan’s president cancels a trip to Latin America after Beijing protested his plan to transit through the U.S.

NEW from @michaelrwarren.bsky.social: As Trade Deal Looms, TRUMP Goes Soft on China. Taiwan’s president cancels a trip to Latin America after Beijing protested his plan to transit through the U.S. thedispatch.com/article/trum... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social

The Republican Jewish Coalition: David Becomes Goliath How the 40-year-old organization transformed into a major power player.

NEW: The Republican Jewish Coalition. — David Becomes (a GOP) Goliath. My deep dive on perhaps the most influential group in Republican politics. thedispatch.com/article/repu... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social

‘Just a Normal Life’ In Los Angeles, a prayer to the patron saint of lost causes.

NEW from Kevin D. Williamson in LOS ANGELES: You see a guy with a big-ass tattoo of St. Jude on his forearm and you know there’s a story and that a lot of that story is going to be horrifying. (never miss a KDW dispatch from the road.) thedispatch.com/article/ille... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social

MAGA Voters Happy With Trump’s Iran Strike, Insiders Say The president’s base is also divided on Israel along generational lines.

NEW: MAGA GOP voters most supportive of TRUMP precisely because he's skeptical of foreign military engagements is giving U.S. bombing of Iran’s nuclear weapons infrastructure 👍👍 up, defying assumptions about POTUS' loyal political base. thedispatch.com/article/dona... @thedispatchmedia.bsky.social