No, scratch that. Imagine instead that you’re Chuck Schumer,  the Minority Leader of the United States Senate, a distinguished statesman who has served in the Senate since 1999, representing New York State.  A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, Senator Schumer also served nine terms in the US House before winning his Senate seat.  

Now imagine that you’ve inserted yourself into the Senate race in Maine, first urging the Governor, age 78, to run.  That fizzled out, and when the nominee, Graham Platner, was forced to step aside, Maine’s Democrats nominated Troy Jackson, a veteran politician.  Almost immediately, Jackson said he wasn’t a fan of Senator Schumer and wouldn’t vote for him as the party’s leader.  “The Democratic Party needs to have a different approach — getting people back in the party, getting working-class, everyday people back in the party — and I don’t believe it’s going to happen with Senator Schumer,” he said.

So what now? Remember, you’re role-playing as Senator Schumer, the savvy  veteran politician. Perhaps you would immediately issue a statesman-like statement, something like:  

“I want Troy Jackson, and everyone in Maine, to know that, even if he doesn’t support me, I support him. I want everyone to know that I will do all that I can to see that he’s elected.  Once he wins, he will have a chance to get to know me, and perhaps he will change his mind.  That’s in the future. What matters now is gaining control of the Senate and the House so we can stop Trump and his cronies from robbing us blind, stop Trump from turning America into a fascist nightmare.”

Schumer didn’t say anything like that, not even close.  Instead, he behaved like a disgruntled 7th grader, saying the politician’s version of “Well, if he won’t support me, I won’t support him. So there!!”   His office tried to paper over the tantrum, but the incident perfectly encapsulates what’s wrong with the Democratic party in 2026.   

Troy Jackson isn’t the only disaffected Democrat who wants new leadership.

And many big donors have figured out that the rot at the top includes the Democratic National Committee, which is broke. It has about $16.3 million in cash but owes $18.5 million. Meanwhile, the Republicans are awash in cash.

So, what’s a good Democrat to do?  Well, you have options….

One option is Act Blue, which allows you to select which candidates you wish to support.

Another is Emily’s List, which supports pro-choice candidates.

Another (and perhaps more promising) option that we recently discovered is WAY TO WIN, which describes itself as a ‘strategic donor collaborative and strategy hub’ that uses new media to build coalitions.  Way to Win’s focus now is on retaking the House, and its specific attention is races in the south and southwest.  It’s data-driven, and its leadership comes across as smart and committed.  Please take a look….and, if you are as impressed as we are, donate and spread the word.

Remember, despair is not an option; nor is sitting on your hands until November.