Michigan Senator Slams Democrats for Economic Gaslighting and ‘Weak, Woke’ Image

Michigan’s newly elected Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin didn’t mince words on the New York Times’ "The Opinions" podcast, slamming her party for downplaying economic struggles under the Biden administration. While she stood by her votes for Biden’s economic policies as a former congresswoman, Slotkin admitted Democrats dropped the ball by dismissing voters’ real-world pain.

"We spent over a year telling people the economy wasn’t as bad as they felt," Slotkin said, mocking the party’s reliance on lofty metrics like GDP. "I nearly lost it when someone quoted another Harvard economist, while in Michigan, wages couldn’t keep up with inflation. Period."

Slotkin, who gained national attention after delivering the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s congressional address in March, argued that touting rosy spreadsheets from Boston made voters feel ignored. "It was our fault for making people feel stupid about their struggles," she said, pointing out the disconnect between data-driven optimism and everyday realities.

Her critique didn’t stop there. Slotkin, known for her blunt style, has also called out her party’s obsession with identity politics. In a fiery Lansing speech, she urged Democrats to reclaim their backbone, referencing focus groups that branded the party as "weak" and "woke." She clarified these weren’t her words but a reflection of Michigan voters’ perceptions, signaling a deeper image problem for Democrats.