Democrats are starting to shake off the fog of the 2024 election. Collectively, tens of thousands of people have attended recent rallies, and many others have crowded town hall meetings to express their frustration with current lawmakers.
But this week may have offered the best signs yet.
1. Booker's history-making speech
Sen. Cory Booker's 25-hour Senate floor speech didn't just break Sen. Strom Thurmond's decades-old record — it was a rallying cry for Democrats desperate for someone to stand up and fight. And people paid attention: Booker's TikTok livestream received over 350 million likes and his office fielded over 28,000 calls.
Perhaps most importantly, Booker sent a clear message to his colleagues: Democrats can't afford to coast.
2. Wisconsin and Florida voters sent a message
With Wisconsin's state Supreme Court win and improvements in Florida's special House elections, Democrats sent Trump a warning he can't ignore.
Progressive Judge Susan Crawford won her Supreme Court seat by double digits, despite Elon Musk pouring millions into the race. This suggests his money might be helping Democrats more than it's helping Republicans.
3. Young candidates across the country are stepping up
If 2024 was a gut punch for progressives, 2025 is looking like a generational wake-up call. From Kat Abughazaleh in Illinois to Deja Foxx in Arizona and Christian Menefee in Texas, a wave of smart, unflinching young candidates are stepping up.
Meanwhile Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow and New Hampshire Rep. Chris Pappas have both announced bids for Senate seats. These are candidates who know voters are hungry for fighters, and if elected, would redefine which voices are front and center for Democrats.
4. Democratic senators are flexing their power
Freshman Sens. Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Adam Schiff of California are showing what it looks like when Democrats fight fire with fire. Gallego is blocking Trump's Veterans Affairs nominees in protest of sweeping job cuts at the VA — a bold move in a bipartisan committee. Schiff is putting a hold on Ed Martin's nomination for U.S. attorney in D.C., citing Martin's weaponization of the office.
This is what it looks like when Democrats stop playing nice and start playing to win.
5. Today's April 5 protests could be massive
The grassroots energy hasn't faded. If anything, it's growing.
The nationwide Hands Off! protests on April 5 are shaping up to be the largest single-day protest since Trump took office. Organizers have planned over 1,100 events across all 50 states — and more than 250,000 people have already RSVP'd.
The bottom line:
No, Democrats don't have the White House. But they have something else right now: momentum. And a party that is waking up to the reality that business as usual is no longer acceptable.
Read more exclusive insights from Jen Psaki here. And tune into "Inside with Jen Psaki" Mondays at 8 p.m. ET, and Sundays at 12 p.m. ET on MSNBC.
