Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D.Y.), who is running for chair of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee (DSCC) for the 2026 cycle, believes Democrats have waited too long to address the current immigration crisis. are.
“For me, I wish we had been able to put these common-sense, bipartisan ideas on the table two years ago, really a while ago, because… , because there was a heightened sense of urgency.” For certain communities in New York, it's very concerning. ”
One of the main conclusions from the data from Fox News' Digital Voter Analysis after the 2024 election was that immigration is one of the country's biggest issues. When voters were asked about reducing the number of immigrants allowed to apply for asylum, twice as many supported reducing the number of immigrants allowed to apply for asylum.
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The senator hopes to lead the Democratic Party's campaign arm into 2026. (Getty Images/File)
Democrats made their own case for addressing the issue, citing border and immigration bills negotiated by Republican senators, Democratic senators and independent border state senators. But by the time the bill finally reached the Senate floor, two of the three negotiators had abandoned it. Only one Republican voted in favor of the bill.
During the campaign, Democrats often criticized their Republican colleagues who opposed the bill and President-elect Donald Trump, pointing to the bill and attempts to pass it in the face of concerns about the border.
Gillibrand said concerns about immigration were some of the top concerns voiced by voters.
“They wanted to make sure their children were safe, so issues like immigration and fentanyl trafficking and gun trafficking were very important to them,” she said.
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People waiting to apply for asylum after crossing the border from Mexico line up against the border wall near Yuma, Arizona, on July 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
The senator said this and the economy and cost of living were “actually more pronounced,” as he reflected on 2024 and how to win in red or purple areas, which are made up of swing voters.
When asked about her message on abortion in 2026, Gillibrand did not say what she would do in the 2026 cycle if elected to lead the DSCC, but said that in this cycle, “people really want to “They want to talk about costs.”
She disagreed with some Democrats on whether identity politics contributed to the Democratic Party's defeat and whether the party should pivot away from identity politics.
”“I think the Republican candidate wanted to divide America, and I thought that was really unfortunate,” she said.
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Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call, via Getty Images/File)
To counter these efforts, Gillibrand said, “I think you're just telling it like it is. I mean, let's be honest. And, you know, on a lot of these issues, a lot of… The state government is already working on it,” he said. that. “
The New York state senator said that although the 2024 election was held just a few weeks ago, the 2026 Senate cycle “really begins today.”
She led DSCC and said, “I want to help other candidates across the country get out into their communities and talk to voters about the things they care about most two years before an election instead of two months.” ” he said.
Notably, Ms. Gillibrand was first elected in 2006, defeating the incumbent and converting her Red House district into a Blue House district.
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Gillibrand said Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, mentioned above, would be a strong candidate to flip the state's Senate seat blue. (Getty Images/File)
The senator has not yet been officially chosen to lead the Democratic Party's campaign division, but he is already eyeing several competitive candidates. In particular, Gillibrand said Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper would be a good candidate to flip the state's Senate seat blue.
“I haven't talked to him yet, but he's a very impressive person,” she said.
North Carolina's Senate seat is held by incumbent Sen. Thom Tillis (Republican).
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Gillibrand also noted that Democrats may not be able to regain the Senate majority in 2026, saying, “It may take a while, it may take two cycles, to regain the majority,” according to Fox News Digital. told.
“I know there are great races across the country and great candidates, and hopefully I can get involved in the recruiting process and get that majority back.”
