More than 80 Democratic members of Congress and candidates have signed on to a new pledge aiming to prove their anti-corruption bona fides, giving the party an opportunity to unite behind a message of combating President Donald Trump’s corruption.
The pledge, organized by End Citizens United, represents a shift in how Democrats talk about good governance compared to their approach under former President Joe Biden. It places less emphasis on politically polarizing battles over voting rights and more focus on limiting the role of money in politics, in a way that the party hopes can persuade deeply cynical independent and swing voters.
It also provides the opportunity for candidates from both the party’s progressive and moderate wings to adopt a unified message and bypass the ideological squabbling that has defined the party since its loss in the 2024 election cycle and to separate themselves from the party’s still-toxic brand.
“Coming out of 2024, addressing corruption is a big priority for voters, but they don’t see any difference between the two parties,” said Tiffany Muller, the president of End Citizens United. “In previous midterm waves, whether it was 1994, 2006 or 2018, whichever party has managed to grab the mantle of anti-corruption has been able to triumph.”
