Slotkin Steers Center, Criticizes Trump's Ukraine Policy
Democratic U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan has made a case for bipartisan values and invoked former Republican president Ronald Reagan in her party's rebuttal to President Donald Trump's address to Congress, stressing shared values like bolstering national security and fighting for democracy. Slotkin steered clear of inflammatory rhetoric and sought to relate to Americans on both sides of the political aisle by claiming "shared values". Her criticism of Trump's handling of Russia's war in Ukraine echoed a Democratic talking point since the start of Trump's second term.
- The strategic move by Slotkin's party could be seen as an attempt to rebrand itself as more inclusive and less divisive, but how effective will this approach be in appealing to voters who have become increasingly polarized?
- How will the Democrats' response to Trump's address impact their chances in the 2026 midterm elections, particularly in states that Trump won in 2024?