Let’s face it—these are grim times. Republicans are in power, and Democrats have been walking around with their tails between their legs since November 5th. In their first 100 days, Republicans are poised to pass massive tax cuts for the rich while leaving the American people to foot the bill. A tale as old as time. While we can’t predict exactly how the electorate will feel in four years, one thing seems likely: J.D. Vance will be the leading Republican. If Vance stays loyal and secures Trump’s endorsement early, the primary could be over before it even begins.
So what should Democrats do? Simple: find the meme that takes down J.D. Vance.
There’s no question that Biden’s reelection hopes started slipping the moment those “I Did That!” stickers began appearing on gas pumps—and just about anywhere else they could be slapped. Another viral post that spread like wildfire was a McDonald’s price chart that allegedly showed a dramatic spike in the cost of America’s favorite menu items. McDonald’s quickly debunked it, but by then, the damage was done. Like the Biden stickers, the misleading chart had already cemented itself in the public consciousness. Then came the eggs. Inflation was undoubtedly hurting people, but it was these viral memes that fueled the perception that the economy was performing even worse than it actually was. Unfortunately, this is the kind of “news” that resonates with the average voter.
Democrats need to find their own meme—and it needs to not suck.
Democrats also need to stop recycling the very attack lines Republicans used against them in 2024, thinking they’ll have the same impact in reverse. If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Republicans—especially Trump supporters—it’s that they will shamelessly deny reality no matter what. So Democrats need to find the meme that disrupts their alternate reality. The goal is to find the content that breaks through to the stup—sorry, the average voter.
2028 won’t be about eggs, Big Macs, stickers, or even couches. It has to be something new. Something fresh. But most importantly, something viral.
