Both Ray and Pritzker stressed to the audience how important it is to get involved in the movement opposing Trump and his cruel, autocratic assault on America. Pritzker has been vocal about urging people to organize and educate themselves about what they can do that can make a difference.
Governor Pritzker recently appeared with Jimmy Kimmel and called for “mass protests, mobilization, or disruption. “These Republicans cannot know a moment of peace. They must understand that we will fight their cruelty with every megaphone and microphone. We must castigate them on the soapbox and then punish them at the ballot box.” Additionally, he applauded California Governor Gavin Newsom for his bold trolling of Trump’s weak spots and for his counterplan to fight Trump and the Republicans’ attempt in Texas to rig the 2026 midterms by redrawing maps to gain five House seats in Calufornia. Again, Pritzker stressed that we have to go bold and play by the same rules that Republicans are playing by.
Ray ended the program with a speech that included strategies and concepts that could strengthen, unite, and grow the Democratic party. He made the point that America is not as divided as the public narrative suggests. The big divide is about Trump. However, poll after poll show the majority of America’s ( 60-80%) agree on the issues of a womans right to choose, sensible gun control policies, climate change, and opposition to the violent mass deportation tactics used by ICE agents. Those facts give hope that we can defeat the anti- democracy assault on our country by Trump and his administration.
Ray is saying we can win on the issues if we also communicate to the other side about issues that are primary to their party. Democrats do not talk enough about law enforcement, the military, immigration and deportation issues, and faith. Democrats care about those issues but have not comunicated this effectively to Republican voters. Maga voters have shown no sign of disagreeing with Trump on anything, but other Republicans have. However loud and loyal MAGA is to Trump, there are more of us than them.
Ray emphasized that Democrats have to remember that “68% of Americans are Christians, only 2% are Jewish, 12% are black, and 1% transgender. If we don’t speak to the issues that matters to the majority, we don’t expand out tent. That is ” political suicide.”
Ray ended his speech by pointing out mistakes Democrats made in their messaging during the 2024 election. He said we were promoting joy while people were struggling to afford groceries. We also promoted fear. We placed FEAR OVER FAITH, and it made our tent SMALLER. That has to stop. Immediately. Because we now have a MORAL OBLIGATION to win. The alternative is the literal end of the American Experiment. And with it will go democracy worldwide.”