WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democratic National Committee is organizing hundreds of grassroots events nationwide this weekend, hoping to channel widespread frustration over the cost of living — the same issue that helped carry President Donald Trump back into the White House.
The planned activities span a wide range, including school supply giveaways, food bank drives, neighborhood canvassing, and training sessions for organizers.
“Everything costs too damn much under Donald Trump and the Republicans,” said Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin in a written statement.
Martin added that party members intend “to reach, engage, register, and mobilize voters who will make the difference in races up and down the ballot.”
Just two years ago, it was Democrats who faced criticism for being out of touch with Americans’ anger over climbing prices. Now the party is turning that argument around, pointing to Trump, who has played down the ongoing effects of inflation.
Trump has called affordability worries a “hoax” and recently stated, “I love the inflation,” suggesting he expects prices to fall as he works to resolve tensions with Iran.
The weekend’s events differ depending on the part of the country. In New Mexico, the governor will host a training session for roughly 150 prospective campaign workers. In Nevada, statewide campaigns will knock on doors in rural and working-class communities. Volunteers in other areas will call voters in competitive U.S. House districts to discuss rising gas prices.
Some events are designed to provide direct assistance to voters while making the case that Democrats genuinely care about everyday costs. In Kenosha County, Wisconsin, for example, the local Democratic Party plans to gather and hand out school supplies to families in need. Canvassers will also spread out across Arizona, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin to talk with residents about affordability.
Party leaders hope the weekend’s activities will demonstrate that time out of power has sharpened their focus on the bread-and-butter issues that matter most to voters. However, some within the party worry their message may struggle to cut through in a deeply fragmented media landscape.
“One of Donald Trump’s greatest strengths is that he’s so loud,” said Democratic strategist Brian Derrick. He argued that events like those planned this weekend help Democrats zero in on what he called an “Achilles’ heel” for Trump — specifically, “his lack of interest in addressing everyday costs for people.”
