Newt Gingrich said Democrats cannot solve their political problems simply by changing the language they use because the real problem is the policies and values an increasingly powerful wing of the party believes in.
Appearing on America Reports, Newt rejected the idea that Democrats can reconnect with voters by abandoning terms that sound more at home in the “faculty lounge” than everyday America. “They have a policy problem,” Newt said.
Newt argued that the rise of what he calls the “big government socialist weird value wing” has put Democrats on the wrong side of issues where large majorities of Americans agree. Changing how those positions are described, he said, does nothing to change the underlying divide.
That creates a larger problem for Democratic leaders. While some establishment Democrats are urging candidates to “talk like a normal human,” Newt said the party’s growing radical wing actually believes in the positions establishment figures are now trying to distance themselves from.
If that movement continues to gain ground, Newt warned, the disagreement will become more than a messaging dispute. It could become an “incipient civil war” between the Democratic establishment and the democratic socialist movement challenging it.
How to Win 2026
The 2026 midterms could be a defining moment for America. Follow Newt Gingrich and Gingrich 360’s latest columns and analysis on the ideas, policies, and strategies Republicans need to win the big arguments, grow the American majority, and deliver real results for the American people.
How to Win 2026 is part of a larger effort to identify the ideas, policies, and arguments that can create a lasting American majority.
Explore our latest columns, research, commentary, and analysis on the Republican Opportunity in 2026.
You can manage your subscription preferences to choose the updates, newsletters, and alerts you want to receive on the website.
