Why Copying Trump Keeps Backfiring

The Chris Cuomo Project

Chris Cuomo

News Commentary, News, Politics

4.6 • 3.3K Ratings

🗓️ 6 January 2026

⏱️ 48 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Chuck Rocha (political consultant, Democratic strategist, and President & Founder, Solidarity Strategies) joins Chris Cuomo to break down what Democrats are getting wrong heading into the midterms and why “fighting harder” is not the same as winning. Rocha explains how campaigns are being distorted by incentive structures that reward outrage, viral conflict, and online validation over persuasion and coalition-building. Cuomo and Rocha dig into what actually moves voters outside the algorithm, why working-class support is harder to hold than party leaders want to admit, and how Democrats can sell a governing agenda without mimicking Trump-style politics. They also talk through what messages cut across identity and ideology, why authenticity beats performance, and what a real winning strategy looks like when the electorate is exhausted and distrust is the default. Follow and subscribe to The Chris Cuomo Project on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube for new episodes every Tuesday and Thursday: https://linktr.ee/cuomoproject Join Chris Ad-Free On Substack: http://thechriscuomoproject.substack.com Support our sponsors: Control body odor anywhere with @shop.mando and get $5 off your Starter Pack (over 40% off) with promo code CUOMO at https://mandopodcast.com/cuomo! #mandopod #ad Go to https://shopbeam.com/CUOMO, use code CUOMO, and get up to 40% off Beam's Dream Powder—just $39 for their best-selling sleep aid. Get 25% off Cowboy Colostrum with code CUOMO at https://www.cowboycolostrum.com/CUOMO Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	What will it take to win the midterms for the Democrats?
0:02.8	What is their best strategy sense?
0:05.4	What are the people who are making the decisions relying on?
0:09.3	These are all really interesting questions, no matter what side you're on or whether you're just an independent.
0:15.5	And I have answers for you for someone who is every bit of in the game. I am Chris Cuomo. Welcome to the Chris Cuomo
0:23.3	Project, Chuck Rocha. He is part of the elite of the elite. What does that mean? He is one of a
0:31.4	handful of political scientists, operatives, analysts, strategists, who is hired and has been for years to run the
0:42.9	campaigns that you and I watch, and in my case, cover. He also has a podcast called The Chuck
0:49.4	Rocha Revolution. And he's got to deal with CBS News. He's on MSNBC. He's on CNN. He's on News Nation.
0:56.8	He's all over the place. Why?
0:58.2	He's a different kind of Democrat.
0:59.8	You want to see why?
1:01.0	And understand why he gets paid to tell people what he knows?
1:04.8	Here you go.
1:15.4	Chuck Rocha, the Rocha Revolution.
1:17.0	Man, it is good to see you.
1:18.1	Thank you for being with me.
1:19.6	Good to be with you, brother.
1:26.1	So I've always been fascinated by you because you remind me of the kinds of Democrats that there were when I grew up in the party.
1:29.9	But when I look at you now, not just the hat, not just the East Texas accent, but do you ever feel like, is the party still your home?
1:40.3	Or are they trying to recruit different kinds of people now?
1:45.0	Every day.
	...

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