Democrats were delivered a crushing blow this week in an NBC poll that exposed an all-time low in party popularity. The party appears mired in negative messaging as it struggles to identify a party leader.
Meanwhile, Democratic governors in New York and Michigan have turned their backs on democracy and are playing politics with the people’s representation. They are slow-walking special elections to fill vacant seats, likely because they suspect Republicans will win.
Yes, the self-proclaimed protectors of “democracy” want 750,000 New Yorkers and 270,000 Michiganders to go without representation in the U.S. House and state Senate, respectively, simply because the elections would likely disadvantage Democrats.
“No taxation without representation” is the political slogan that originated during the Revolutionary War. The central idea behind self-governance in a constitutional republic is that the people have a say in how the country is run. Today, Democratic governors are embracing the very tactics that drove our Founding Fathers to fight for our freedom. They have now blatantly embraced an anti-democracy stance.
Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) is expected to “slow-walk” calling an election in the 21st Congressional District, currently represented by Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), who President Donald Trump has nominated to serve as United Nations ambassador.
The vacancy likely won’t be filled for months after Stefanik resigns. State Democrats, with the urging of Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), have moved to leave it open even longer — until November or beyond. That means House Republicans would have to operate with a slimmed-down three-seat majority for as long as Hochul delays the election.
Hochul tried to reverse her plan to slow-walk the special election when she realized that President Donald Trump was in a powerful position regarding the future of the state’s new congestion pricing program. Trump has threatened to use the federal Department of Transportation to stop the congestion tax.
Meanwhile, Stefanik’s seat remains in limbo. The legislature and Jeffries want to keep it open as long as possible, likely in hopes that Democrats will pick up more seats across the country in 2026 and Jeffries will be elected speaker of the House. Hochul, a self-proclaimed defender of democracy, is weighing her leverage despite her constituents, and a review of her X account would lead you to believe she is more focused on Ukraine than New York.
“This president may not stand with democracy, but we will,” Hochul posted on X while virtue signaling over Ukraine.
Interestingly, the New York governor supports democracy in a country over 4,500 miles away but does not support voters upstate.
“Voter suppression is an insidious virus attacking the very core of our democracy,” Hochul opined in 2022.
Voter suppression is terrible and should never be tolerated, but at least those voters have the opportunity to cast a ballot. It is worse to deny all voters the opportunity to have their say and leave them without representation in Washington, D.C.
In Michigan, thanks to Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, an entire state Senate district has no representation in Lansing. A state Senate seat left vacant after Kristen McDonald Rivet was elected to the U.S. House has decreased the Democrats’ majority to 19-18. While it is a tough district on paper for Republicans to pick up, the energy from Trump’s victory in Michigan would certainly give Republicans the opportunity to pick up a seat, particularly in that region of the state.
A GOP win would create a 19-19 tie. Democrats would still have a tiebreaking vote, as the Democratic lieutenant governor presides over the body. However, it would further complicate Whitmer’s agenda after Democrats lost the House majority in November and must now contend with Republican House Speaker Matt Hall.
This would also mean Whitmer allowed Democrats to lose control of the House and end up with a tie in the Senate under her watch — not a good look for a future presidential candidate.
Like Hochul, Whitmer has also touted herself as an arbiter of “democracy.”
“Voting not only ensures your voice is heard but makes sure we have leaders who actually represent our communities and ideals. It’s crucial we take a stand against extremism and elect leaders who will fight like hell for our freedoms and protect democracy.” Whitmer shared on X in 2023.
Voters in Midland, Saginaw, and Bay counties agree and would like to have their voices heard, regardless of what they say. Their communities would like to have representation, but their “extremist” governor won’t let them vote.
“We are a shining beacon of democracy and freedom in the world because we settle our stark differences at the ballot box,” Whitmer wrote in response to a maniac attempting to assassinate Trump.
Agreed. Allow the 35th Senate district to have their say, governor.
Many expected Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to weigh in on scheduling the election. Benson is another self-appointed arbiter of “democracy” who doesn’t support it. She even wrote a book about it, and yet, she does not seem to care enough about Michiganders’ right to representation to demand Whitmer hold a special election. Elections fall under the purview of her office, but she remains silent amid the protests from the district.
This comes as an even bigger surprise when you learn she hopes to be the next person with the authority to call a special election. Benson has announced her own run for governor of Michigan on Whitmer’s coattails. A woman she has referred to as “a brilliant, thoughtful leader who truly cares deeply about the people of this state.” Both women tell Michiganders they care and want to lead, but their actions prove they care more about personal power than taking care of the people they were elected to serve.
Throughout her time as secretary of state, Benson has risked election integrity by loosening security restrictions on voting rights. When called out, she responded on X, saying, “Friday fact: only U.S. Citizens vote in U.S. elections. Lots of politicians are wrongly trying to make you think otherwise.” This didn’t age well.
In the 2024 election, a Chinese national walked into an early voting location in Ann Arbor and cast a vote. His ballot was fed into the machine, and his vote was counted. It was discovered only after he likely realized what he had done was illegal and contacted the city clerk, attempting to retrieve his ballot.
That triggered an investigation. His vote was determined to count because it had already been fed into the tabulating machine. An illegal vote by a Chinese national effectively canceled one by a U.S. citizen.
Benson brushed off the illegal vote and was never held accountable, nor was anyone in her office; no one was fired or even disciplined. She just acknowledged the disaster, moved on, and announced her run for higher office.
DEMOCRATS SHOULD GOVERN MORE AND FIGHT LESS
Whether you are dealing with a governor, secretary of state, or wannabe speaker of the U.S. House, Democrats have proven they are not for democracy. This week, Americans told Democrats they are unhappy with their shenanigans. The NBC poll shows only 27% of registered voters have a positive view of the party.
These radical Democrats are for political power and are willing to deny the right to vote to maintain it. To that, we reiterate the words of our Founding Fathers: “No taxation without representation.” This is fundamental to protecting democracy from power-hungry politicians.
Tudor Dixon is a former Republican gubernatorial nominee, an executive in Michigan’s steel industry, a breast cancer survivor, and a working mother of four girls. She is currently the host of the Tudor Dixon Podcast.