What Is the Democrats’ Strategy To Win the Midterms? DNC Chairman Weighs In | Amanpour and Company

In the United States, primary season is well under way. Pennsylvania's Republican senate race is still too close to call. While Democrats strategize to retain their majority in the Senate and House, Jaime Harrison, Chair of the Democratic National Committee, joins Michel Martin to discuss the politics of this year's midterm elections.

Originally aired on May 20, 2022.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Watch Amanpour and Company weekdays on PBS (check local listings).

Amanpour and Company features wide-ranging, in-depth conversations with global thought leaders and cultural influencers on the issues and trends impacting the world each day, from politics, business and technology to arts, science and sports. Christiane Amanpour leads the conversation on global and domestic news from London with contributions by prominent journalists Walter Isaacson, Michel Martin, Alicia Menendez and Hari Sreenivasan from the Tisch WNET Studios at Lincoln Center in New York City.

#amanpourpbs

[bettyveronica]

"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross."
- James Waterman Wise

[nosuchperson]

It's great that he's aware of the situation. The question is will they do anything much more than fundraising on that message? 40 years on I'm still waiting. We would do far better if the DNC, DSCC, DCCC basically stay out of the primaries other than some general funding for the top 2 or 3 candidates in any given local race according to polling and spending 80% of their efforts and money in the general elections to beat Republicans against whomever the people pick. Stop endorsing candidates.

[DammitGumby]

'Message, mission, and purpose.' When the DNC adds 'performance and results', elections will favor them. Not until. As he said, 'Show and not tell.'

[katherinejones]

I really hope the strategy is to fight hard pushing back on lies call them out & shout accomplishments & somehow explain what the GQP is up to!

[lorinelson]

VOTE BLUE FOR DEMOCRACY NOT RED FOR AUTOCRACY!

[bernardscheidle]

This guy is good. Dems need to speak truth to power like this DNC guy does. Jamie Harrison is clear and to the point.

[hongbeaven]

GOP will never solve any problems, they’re complaining and winning but always voted NO to improve voters’livings… Follow their votes, how they voted for every issues in the past at least 10 years - tell you what GOP stand for.

[danielkotorman]

Stop fascism before it's too late!

[GrayPJalow]

You need to talk to more regular folks. People working in health care tell me they vote democrat b/c they don't want to lose our democracy; but over & over I hear "can't you get some better candidates."

[katherandefy]

Jaime is right. Let your 💙 show and go after the primary!

[kayouellette]

Republicans helped create and now maintain the structures that allow the conditions of day to day issues, like inflation, become exacerbated.
Had stricter anti-trust laws been put in place sooner, some ppl might not have the exorbitant wealth they do now. Maybe wealth would have been spread around a bit more by now?
I’m sure Republicans aren’t the only ones who had a historic role in creating that environment, but there only seems to be one side of the aisle, at least for the most part, willing to look at the ways systems can be improved to change the current quality of life.
The Rick Scott plan is not an equitable solution that will lead to better conditions for all, it’s simply more of the same: taxing the poor for the benefit of the rich ~~~ But keep them confused so they don’t know.

[royalukas]

He is not articulating a strategy to win. That’s a big problem

[michaelhartley]

As Democrats you need to be making demanding statements that the Republican Party or fighting against everything that will help people you're not making that statement it needs to be done

[christinemann]

Jaime Harrison is such a beautiful and brillant person! What a precious man!

[jesusacosta]

The bad thing that the primaries showed is that more Republicans turned out to vote than Democrats. Enthusiasm is clearly on the Republican side. But timing is everything in politics and the election is not until November so Democrats still have time to turn things around.

[richietattersall]

Reality, what a bizarre concept.
They lost the Popular Vote in the last 5 Presidential Elections, they won the Electoral College twice in the last 5 Presidential Elections.
4 times in the history of the United States the Citizen running for President lost the Popular Vote but won the Electoral College and EVERY time it was a Republican.
GW Bush 2000, DJ Trump 2016.

[dsazer]

Excellent discussion. Much respect for both of them.

[psyphi]

And the DNCs purpose is to ignore all of it.

[ronkirk]

With the wildly skewed representation in the senate which gives undue political power to a hand fill of tiny states, it is very hard for the majority opinion to govern. 50% of Americans are represented by only 18 senators, but 52 senators from the 26 smallest states represent only 18% of the U.S. population. This structural anti-democratic representation can not be overcome at the ballot box. Don't get me started on the un-democratic 'electoral college'.

[JackycClark]

Doesn't matter what it's built on .
How do you defeat them at the ballot box ? That's the ONLY thing that matters .