Sunday, July 05
(virtual)
DA Discussions: Let's Talk Strategy
image via: Felix Mittermeier on Unsplash
Join us for our revived DA Discussions series!
In July, we will dive into the pivotal political dynamics shaping the 2026 midterm elections. We will examine how President Trump’s demand for absolute loyalty is driving moderate Republicans out of Congress and potentially jeopardizing the GOP's future majority. The discussion will also explore Trump's aggressive push for the "SAVE America Act," which aims to implement strict proof-of-citizenship voting requirements and end no-excuse mail-in voting across the country. Furthermore, we will analyze his broader strategy of preemptively sowing doubt about voter fraud to lay the groundwork for contesting midterm results in Democratic strongholds. On the other side of the aisle, we will evaluate the Democratic Party's ongoing internal debate over how to counter the "America First" agenda by reshaping their foreign policy to better address domestic working-class economic concerns. Finally, we will consider how these domestic political frictions, alongside Trump's endorsement of less electable loyalist candidates, are fueling global geopolitical uncertainty.
Suggested readings:
- What is the Democrats' Answer to "America First"? by Missy Ryan for The Atlantic
- Trump's Midterm Strategy and Beyond by Ian Bremmer for ask ian | GZERO Media
- Why Trump’s hold on the GOP Congress may threaten its hold on power by Ronald Brownstein for CNN
- What’s in the ‘SAVE America Act’ and why is it so important to Donald Trump? by Tierney Sneed and Fredreka Schouten for CNN
- Knave or Fool? Traitorous or Demented? by Robert Reich for his Substack
Additional (Optional) Readings:
- Exclusive: Democrats unveil plan to protect elections from Trump, AI by Jim Saksa for Democracy Docket
- These 19 election deniers and vote suppressors are on the ballot in the midterms. We should be worried by Matt Cohen for Democracy Docket
These Democracy Docket articles highlight programmatic defensive efforts, such as plans to counter AI-driven disinformation and the urgent need to protect voter rolls from mass purges, while mapping out the electoral threat posed by the 19 prominent election deniers on the ballot.
- House Democrats’ anxiety rises after wins by Mamdani-backed candidates: ‘Are we going to let them take over the party?’ by Sarah Ferris, Ellis Kim, and Annie Grayer for CNN
This article injects a crucial look at the party's internal identity crisis. It covers the immense anxiety among moderate Democrats following high-profile primary upsets by democratic socialists (the "Zohran Mamdani wing") in New York, exposing deep rifts over anti-establishment tactics, cost-of-living messaging, and foreign policy toward Israel.
- Letter from an American: June 28, 2026 by Heather Cox Richardson for her Substack
June 28's Letter from an American provides a fascinating counter-strategy for winning over battleground/red states. It focuses on Texas Senate nominee James Talarico’s convention speech, which offers a blueprint for a non-partisan, populist narrative that reclaims traditional state pride and pivots the political battle away from culture wars to focus instead on fighting "tyrant" billionaire megadonors.
Virtual Event: This event will be held on Zoom; RSVP for details.
About DA Discussions:
We will examine various facets of democracy in group discussions facilitates by political scientist Michael Contarino, Professor Emeritus at the University of New Hampshire.
Contarino founded and directed the Politics and Society program at UNH-Manchester, the UNH-in-Italy program, and the UNH-Manchester Florence program at Palazzo Rucellai. He has taught World Politics, US and World Affairs, International Relations Theory, Politics and Society, Dictatorship and Democracy, Politics and Propaganda in Film, The Politics of Food, and Business, Government, and Society, among other topics. You can read his full bio here.
Each event will cover a different topic and offer complementary readings. The readings are intended to provide insight into the topic at hand but are completely optional.
All are welcome!
This event is free of charge, but we will gladly accept donations from any US citizens who attend the event. DACH is a volunteer organization that relies on donations to be able to provide outreach, voter education, and voter registration services.
WHEN
Sunday, July 05, 2026 at 03:00 PM Bern Time
WHERE
This is a virtual event. See the event description above or RSVP for virtual participation options.
CONTACT
Liz Voss
[email protected]