I’ve worked on Democratic campaigns at every level—from city council to Congress—knocking doors in the rain, training volunteers in living rooms, and flipping districts no one thought we could win. But today, I’m not writing from the field. I’m writing from a place of deep urgency. As someone who has helped build Democratic power from the ground up, I can’t stay quiet about what I see at the top: too much caution, too much delay, and not nearly enough fight.
During a bout of insomnia, I found myself thinking not just about what’s wrong—but about what we can do. The tools Democratic leadership still has, even in the minority. Like many others awake at 5:00 am, somewhere between dread and determination, I sat down to write a letter to my representatives—two of whom also happen to be party leaders.
In it, I shared the frustration that so many Democrats are feeling: that our elected officials are not rising to meet the urgency of this moment. But I didn’t stop at critique. I laid out real, tangible strategies—actions I believe we can take, and must, before it’s too late.
Here Are Just a Few of the Strategies Democratic Leadership Could and Should Be Using Right Now
Use Every Procedural Tool to Obstruct Authoritarian Legislation
Even in the minority, Democrats still have tools—filibusters, discharge petitions, amendments, withholding unanimous consent. These tactics should be used not sparingly, but relentlessly, to stall extremist overreach and force accountability.
With Republicans holding only a slim majority in both chambers, many votes require every GOP member to be present. That means well-timed delay tactics—whether procedural roadblocks or quorum pressure—can significantly disrupt daily proceedings and deny legitimacy to the Trump administration’s agenda.
Amplify Activist Voices and Resistance Movements
Read Project 2025 and Trump’s authoritarian policies into the Congressional Record. Bring activists and experts to testify. Turn committee hearings into moments of truth and visibility—not just for legislation, but for resistance.
Public hearings and press conferences should feature not just elected officials, but activists, whistleblowers, and legal experts. Let them speak on the record about what’s at stake. Turn the machinery of Congress into a spotlight—not just for legislation, but for truth-telling, narrative building, and grassroots solidarity.
Encourage Legal action at the State Level Against Corrupt Actors
While federal oversight may stall under a hostile administration, state attorneys general can still investigate, subpoena, and prosecute. Democratic leaders should coordinate and publicly support legal action at the state level—especially in cases of insider trading, abuse of power, and the politicization of federal agencies during the Trump years.
Importantly, state-level prosecutions cannot be pardoned by the president. That independence makes them one of the most effective tools we have for securing real consequences. These legal efforts can also serve as a deterrent, a signal that public service does not grant impunity—and that even in a divided government, justice is not off the table.
Support Civil Servants Who Were Endangered or Silenced
President Donald Trump’s prior administration targeted career civil servants with ideological purges, abrupt terminations, and politically motivated firings. USAID employees, diplomats, scientists, and inspectors general were removed or undermined—often without cause or recourse.
Democratic leaders should stand with these workers by supporting their lawsuits, amplifying their stories, and publicly defending civil service protections. The dismantling of a nonpartisan public workforce is a hallmark of authoritarianism. Defending that workforce is a line we cannot allow to be crossed again.
Challenge ICE and Private Detention Centers Through Local Governance
State and local governments don’t have to wait for federal reform to challenge ICE and the private prison industry. Democratic governors, mayors, and legislatures can cancel contracts, deny facility permits, and even pursue legal tools like eminent domain to reclaim control of detention sites.
These actions send a powerful signal: Cities and states will not be complicit in dehumanization. But there’s also a tactical layer—legal pushback forces major law firms to spend their pledged pro bono hours fighting complex eminent domain cases, rather than quietly defending Trump administration allies in high-profile federal court battles. Local resistance doesn’t just disrupt ICE—it redistributes institutional resources and applies pressure to power from multiple angles.
These are just a few of the actions we can take. I put them—along with a call to act—into a letter to my representatives. What follows is that letter, shared publicly in the hope that it inspires others to raise their voices, too.
Dear Senator Schumer and Congressman Jeffries,
My name is Laura Hughes. I’ve worked as a Democratic campaign organizer for over eight years, and I’m currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Administration at Columbia University. I share this because I want to be clear: I’m writing not just to voice frustration, but to urge action—with both urgency and strategy.
Let me begin by acknowledging what I know to be true: You, like so many of us, are overwhelmed. But with respect, that is not an excuse. You are a leader in the Democratic Party, and leadership in this moment demands more.
We are watching institutions unravel: People are being disappeared, federal departments are dismantled, the economy is unstable, rule of law is violated, and corruption is normalized. This is not a time for business as usual. We cannot afford to stand on ceremony when the floor is collapsing beneath us.
People are in the streets. They are looking to you—not just for speeches, but for strategy.
In both chambers of Congress, Democrats should be leveraging every procedural and political tool available. If Mitch McConnell taught us anything, it’s that a slim majority is no excuse for inaction. Senator Cory Booker had the right idea: We should filibuster more. We should obstruct more. We should use amendments, discharge petitions, and parliamentary procedure to grind every harmful effort to a halt. Invite activists to testify and disrupt proceedings. Read Project 2025 and every authoritarian overreach into the Congressional Record.
Make it harder for them—every single day.
Here are additional actions I urge you and your colleagues to consider:
1. Support legal accountability by encouraging state attorneys general to investigate and, where appropriate, indict former Trump administration officials for clear acts of corruption—such as insider trading or abuse of power.
2. Back civil service lawsuits—stand with civil servants whose careers and safety were jeopardized by abrupt terminations and dangerous policy shifts, such as those at USAID.
3. Empower local governments to resist ICE by encouraging Democratic governors, mayors, and state legislatures to end contracts with private detention centers, shutter ICE offices, and pursue creative legal mechanisms—like eminent domain—to challenge federal overreach and private prison profiteering.
I share these not as an outsider, but as someone who has dedicated her career to building Democratic power from the ground up. I believe in what we’re capable of—but I also believe we are failing to meet this moment.
I hope this letter reaches you not just as a call to act, but as a reminder: History will remember who resisted and who stood back.
With urgency and resolve,
Laura Anne Hughes
Constituent
Organizer
Policy Student
I wrote this letter out of urgency, but I’m sharing it out of hope. Because we still have time to turn the tide—if we’re willing to use every tool at our disposal. I’m asking our leaders to rise to the moment. And I’m asking all of us continue to demand that they do.
