Democrats Think They Have Their 2026 ‘Boogeyman’ – and It’s Not Donald Trump – RedState

If you live in one of the states or municipalities that held elections in 2025 – or, really, if you’ve been paying attention for the last 10 years – you already know that Democrats still don’t have any electoral messaging that doesn’t revolve around Donald Trump. He seems to consume their every waking thought and certainly is invoked in much of their campaign rhetoric; in a party devoid of ideas and overtaken by socialists and other far-left radicals, simply being anti-Trump is their best pitch to the American people.

In Virginia this year, Republican candidate for governor Winsome Earle-Sears was painted as a Trump loyalist, which is hilarious on its face since she urged the GOP to move on from Trump after he announced his presidential campaign in 2022, and Trump very noticeably didn’t endorse her candidacy. Earle-Sears wasn’t MAGA at all, which may have cost her, but Democrats plowed ahead with messaging that tied her to Trump anyway.

They just can’t quit him.

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Looking to build on their 2025 electoral successes, Democrats are reportedly casting about for another “boogeyman” against whom they can direct all their Trump-induced ire for the midterms. Make no mistake, Trump isn’t going disappear from the left’s messaging anytime soon – Dems will continue to run against him for as long as they can. But, even they recognize that he won’t always be around, so they’ve decided, at least according to one report, to make Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., their new super villain.

Republicans see Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as an asset for the midterms.

Democrats are trying to make him a liability.https://t.co/5qbg4sjfRt

— POLITICO (@politico) November 16, 2025

Let’s state the obvious up front: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s, biggest sin is that he dared to leave the Democrat Party. Even worse, he teamed up with Donald Trump, which Dems see as the ultimate betrayal. That’s simply not done. So, Kennedy will live out his days as an enemy to the party his family made into a 20th century powerhouse.

It’s his work as HHS secretary, however, that Democrats will try to use as a cudgel against Kennedy in the hopes of winning back the majority in either the House or Senate.

They’re banking on voters associating Kennedy with disease outbreaks and rising insurance costs rather than his more popular criticisms of pharmaceutical companies and focus on nutrition and wellness. As both parties seek to build coalitions ahead of the midterms, public views of Kennedy — and how candidates position themselves in opposition to him — could make a difference in key races that will decide control of Congress.

There is some danger in going hard against Kennedy, who has enjoyed support across party lines for his Make America Health Again (MAHA) initiatives. MAHA moms, in particular, have become a growing political force as they use social media to push for things like the removal of artificial dyes and seed oils from food products. The moms have found a staunch ally in Kennedy, and some Democrats might find themselves thinking twice about crossing them to score political points.

We know for sure that at least one Democrat congressional candidate will make RFK, Jr., a huge part of his campaign, and that’s Kennedy cousin Jack Schlossberg, who recently announced his candidacy to replace retiring Democrat Rep. Jerry Nadler (NY-12).

JFK’s grandson Jack Schlossberg: “President Trump is so obsessed with the Kennedys and the Kennedy name that he caged one and put in his cabinet— a rabid dog in his cabinet. Put a collar on my cousin RFK Jr and has him there barking, spreading lies and misinformation.” pic.twitter.com/z0MdbSJ0lc

— Ron Smith (@Ronxyz00) November 15, 2025

Should be a fun election cycle.