what is to be done…now?

The national “No Kings” protests on October 18 were a fantastic political success. On that day, a historically broad coalition of individuals and groups throughout the country created a common voice by which to resist authoritarianism. Literally millions of Americans made it clear that they were not intimidated by Trump’s deployment of ICE and the National Guard to advance his agenda. Turnout in October was half again as large as for earlier “No Kings” mobilizations. In addition to its numbers, it was the spirit, the music, the singing, and the dancing that revealed a movement whose confidence will undoubtedly encourage even larger gatherings to join in future acts of resistance.

Indeed, it is not far-fetched to imagine that the spirit of “No Kings” might even act to limit some of the violence that Trump is prepared to inflict on his political adversaries. Members of the National Guard are only part-time civilian soldiers. Many have been exposed to the same ideas and discussions that have persuaded their friends and family members to take to the streets. Declining National Guard enlistments may yet result.

But the fact remains that protests alone are not sufficient to prevent the imposition of the overwhelming tyranny that Trump is after. Public demonstrations effectively reveal opposition. But on October 18th when the stages were dismantled, the signs crated, and the marchers returned home, Trump’s agenda remained intact.

If resistance to Trump is to be successful, “No Kings” participants must build on what has been achieved and develop a strategy that can disempower him and his MAGA movement.

Two days after “No Kings,” its organizers convened a national on-line call that was attended by over 43,000 people. That debriefing was not the occasion when a strategy for political change could be thoroughly explored, though both consumer boycotts and the role of civil disobedience were suggested. Participants affirmed the legitimacy of such actions, but the overall tone of the discussion indicated that the movement was only at the beginning of deciding what should come next. Other than a consensus that there was much more work to be done, no firm conclusions emerged.

What was most surprising about this dialogue was that little attention was directed to the importance of the 2026 midterm Congressional elections – now only a year away. Seemingly overlooked was the fact that the narrow margin by which the Republican Party controls both houses of Congress is a real MAGA vulnerability. And as such, it represents an important political opportunity to defang Trump.

Today, there are 220 Republican members of the House of Representatives out of a total of 435; and 53 Republicans in the 100-seat Senate. That means that a net loss of three Republican House members, and 4 Republican seats in the Senate, would shift control of Congress away from the Trump-addled Republicans. With such a shift in either house, Trump and his supporters would be considerably more weakened and constrained than they are now. It would then await the 2028 Presidential election for the job to be completed.

Trump and his followers are of course alive to the threat that a 2026 Republican loss in Congress would mean for them. They know that Trump’s presidential approval rating is dismal, and the widespread disapproval that it reveals threatens Republicans at all levels. Especially since the political science literature maintains that Senate and House elections have become “increasingly aligned with presidential victory patterns,” a 2026 MAGA defeat is a real possibility.

The fear of such a loss is what has motivated fevered Republican efforts at voter suppression and gerrymandering. And given the insurrection of January 6, 2025 and the violent behavior of ICE agents, we can anticipate that  – as the date of the 2026 election approaches –  there will be even more aggressive acts of voter intimidation and violence by official and unofficial actors.

Nevertheless, and despite Trump’s threats, large numbers of courageous Americans are acting on their antipathy to this administration. A problem remains however. Trump’s opponents have not yet settled on a future strategy that can reverse the country’s anti-democratic trajectory. 

The fact is that an electoral strategy is the only realistic choice if the country is to be saved from a Trumpian tide. Anti-Trump activists therefore must recognize, begin to communicate, and act on the critical importance of the 2026 election. There is still enough time to organize the overwhelming turnout of anti-MAGA voters that will be needed to defeat Trump’s congressional enablers and to deny him the one-person rule he seeks. 

 About the Author                                                                                     
Jay Mandle is the Emerita W. Bradford Wiley Professor of Economics, Emeritus,at Colgate University. His many books include Change Elections to Change America: Democracy Matters Students In Action, and Creating Political Equality: Elections As a Public Good,. Mandle’s regular monthly editorials, Money On My Mind, appear on the Democracy Matters website where they explore the role of private money in politics and other critical social issues.
The views expressed in Money On My Mind are those of the author, (not necessarily those of Democracy Matters, and are meant to stimulate discussion.