Democrats see the controversy surrounding the GOP reconciliation package as a political gold mine, using it to attack vulnerable Republicans over Medicaid cuts and other funding reductions.
But some Democrats say that’s not enough. Some argue that the party should be more proactive in telling voters what they’re for, not just policies they oppose, as they try to reconnect with working-class voters who voted for Republicans in the 2024 election.
Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), who defied significant political headwinds last November by winning reelection in a state carried by President Donald Trump, wants her fellow Democrats to hear that message.
“This bill has… so many things in it that hurt everyone,” Rosen said. “And I think the best thing for Democrats to do is just go home and talk to people like you talk to someone you’re out to dinner with. You don’t need fancy explanations to know when people are hurting.”
A few weeks ago, Rosen went to the Senate floor to seek unanimous passage of her legislation with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to eliminate taxes on tips, a watered-down version of which is included in the House-passed reconciliation bill. And it’s a key Trump priority.
To everyone’s surprise, no senator objected. The bill passed.
To be sure, Rosen — like all Democrats — is a staunch opponent of the broader GOP reconciliation bill. And there’s no chance the Rosen-Cruz bill clears the House on its own.
But Rosen believes that shouldn’t stop Democrats from being out front in support of popular bipartisan tax policies like “no tax on tips.”
It’s personal for Rosen. Not only does Nevada have the highest percentage of tipped workers in the country; but Rosen once worked as a cocktail and banquet waitress in Las Vegas.
The politics. In an interview, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer praised Rosen for her focus on issues that impact her state.
But Schumer said Democrats should continue to focus on the reconciliation bill more broadly because “the overall negative theme has overwhelmed any positives.”
“I think it’s the contrast that serves us well,” Schumer told us. “The fact that we’re not for tax breaks for the rich shows what we’re for.”
Schumer is confident Democrats will be able to use the reconciliation bill to their advantage in 2026. Rosen wants that effort to include promoting popular policies, too.
“We all all worry about the same things — health care, food insecurity, stability for every family,” she said. “That is really the rock of our communities. If we don’t support that, then who are we?”
