Following their ballot-box losses in November, Democrats are working hard to regain control of the Senate in the 2026 midterm elections. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand 88, D-NY, thinks if they campaign strategically on issues voters care most about, a blue wave is within reach.
Gillibrand received a warm welcome on campus April 25, as the fifth speaker in the , sponsored by 窪做惇蹋厙 Dialogues and the in collaboration with the Center for Business, Government, and Society, 窪做惇蹋厙 Democrats, 窪做惇蹋厙 Conservatives, and the 窪做惇蹋厙 Political Union. The discussion was co-moderated by , clinical professor of business administration and faculty director at the Center for Business, Government, and Society at the , Alex Azar III 25 of the 窪做惇蹋厙 Conservatives, and Lucia Vitali 26 of 窪做惇蹋厙 Democrats.
Gillibrand spoke candidly to an audience of 190 in Filene Auditorium and another 200 viewers about her partys soul-searching, saying that the biggest challenge for Democrats is that people who voted for Trump didnt think that they would help them on the concerns that matter to them the most.
She said voters top three priorities were inflation, crime, and immigration, and that most Democrats who addressed those worries head-on were victorious. But in the waning days of the presidential campaign, Gillibrand said Trumps challenger, former Vice President Kamala Harris, chose instead to emphasize threats to democracy and reproductive rights.
We lost a percentage of white men, Black men, Hispanic men, Asian men, and young men, Gillibrand noted. Among women, she said, 58% had helped Joe Biden win the presidency, but only 54% voted for Harris.
Nonetheless, as chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for the next cycle, Gillibrand is optimistic about the 2026 midterm election.
My job is to try to flip the Senate, she said. The weight of energy always goes against the party in power. People never really feel very comfortable when one party has all the power. It tends to create wave elections.
Gillibrand said Democrats can and will rebuild their traditional bases of support with clearer messaging, smarter use of social media, and relentless grassroots campaigning.
If we do those things, I believe we will build a very strong blue wave, she predicted. And its because President Trump is overreaching.
When you begin to say you cant answer the phone for the Social Security Administration and the online portals keep crashing, and you say youre going to cut Medicare or Medicaid, that is massive overreach. And when you do that, voters lose faith in you because youre not caring about the things you said you would fix, like the cost of things, the cost of your health care, the cost of your food.
Gillibrand urged Americans who oppose the actions of the Trump administration to press for constructive change, as litigation challenging his use of executive power unfolds.
Advocacy matters. Speaking out matters, and fighting for what we believe in matters. And, hopefully, we will persuade people along the way as opposed to dividing people. Because we need to bring this country back together again, Gillibrand said, drawing applause.
Wheelan asked Gillibrand to speak directly to young people in the audience who might be wondering how best to engage in civic life.
Public servicewhether youre a teacher, whether youre a doctor or a nurse, whether youre a firefighter, whether youre in elected office, whether you work in a not-for-profit, whether you work in any public service organizationis extremely rewarding. You wake up every day and you know that your job is to help people to actually make a difference in their lives, to solve a problem, to be the difference that they need, she said.
Moving forward, Gillibrand said she would work to advance legislation that provides paid family leavea goal she said is shared by the Trump administrationstrengthens Social Security by requiring investment at all income levels, adds hearing and vision coverage to Medicare, and improves access to early childhood education.
If you can start an idea from a place of bipartisanship, its so much easier to build something thats really resilient and useful and good, she said.
Gillibrands willingness to work across the aisle resonated with attendee Ayden Cardoso 28. Democrats during this time have to be optimistic because they dont have control of the House or the Senate, he said. So if our best solution is to work with the opposing side the best that we can, then so be it. His twin brother, Jaleel, agreed, but also said Democrats should adhere to their core values, such as fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion, and should not attempt to continuously mimic what the Republicans are doing.
Samantha Bevins 25, a government major and former White House intern, praised Gillibrands call for advocacy. I think right now a lot of students feel like there isnt much they can do, that their voices arent being heard. And what shes saying is that actually they are being heard, and that Congressmen are listening, governors are listening, mayors are listening. Shes listening.
The 100 Days Series will continue May 8 with .
