Karoline Leavitt said Democrats adopted President Donald Trump’s political playbook to secure major gains in the latest midterm elections.
The former White House press secretary offered her assessment of the Democratic “blue wave” after the party won control of both the Senate and the House. Speaking with Lara Trump on Fox News on Saturday, Leavitt praised Democrats for mobilizing voters while also arguing that Trump’s influence helped shape their victory.
Leavitt acknowledged the Democratic Party’s success at the ballot box but said the outcome should also serve as a lesson for Republicans and a reminder of the coalition Trump built.
“This is a reality that Republicans have to grapple with, right? President Trump wasn’t on the ballot in these midterms, he’ll never be at the top of the ticket again,” she said.
“And I think we need somebody who is America first, who can really tap into the forgotten men and women who President Trump drew to the Republican Party in a historic way from 2016 all the way through 2024. We need someone who can really get out, speak to people about their struggles, their challenges, relate to them and offer promise and hope.”
Leavitt said Democrats had succeeded in motivating voters by convincing them that a change in government would improve their lives.
“You know, I think that’s something Democrats did well in this election in the midterms was they obviously inspired people to turn out to vote because they made the people feel like we’re going to make your lives better,” she said.
“We need to do that again, the same way, in the same fashion President Trump did. It just has to be a new person at the top of the ticket,” Leavitt added.
Lara Trump also asked whether Leavitt might seek elected office again. Leavitt’s answer was unequivocal: “No ma’am, I am good!”
Karoline Leavitt said Democrats borrowed President Donald Trump’s political playbook to make major gains in the latest midterm elections
Leavitt served as Trump’s White House press secretary until the end of August, after saying she wanted to spend more time with her family following the birth of her second child
On election night, Leavitt also offered her explanation for the Republican Party’s weaker performance. She argued that voters had lost sight of Trump’s “good policy” and instead listened to what she called “the lying media.”
Leavitt ran for Congress in New Hampshire in 2022 but lost to Chris Pappas, who went on to become the first openly gay senator-elect in American history.
During her interview with Lara Trump, Leavitt also welcomed remarks from some Democrats about working with the new administration after their midterm victory.
“You have people like James Talarico who said as soon as the morning after election day, ‘I want to work with President Trump on behalf of Texas,’” she said.
Talarico turned Texas blue after being elected the state’s new senator.
“I think that’s a great thing, we should have more Republicans and Democrats working together where we can, but do I think it’s going to happen? No, I don’t,” Leavitt said before addressing another Democrat’s reaction to the election results.
“Because you had Rep. Garcia’s first statement after election night was ‘Lawyer up.’ This is a party whose base is hellbent on political retribution, obstructionism, impeachment—they don’t want to do what’s best for the voters who elected them.”
Robert Garcia, a California congressman and ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, had issued the warning to Trump and members of his family.
“If you are part of that family, you have been involved in grift and we’ve seen that,” Garcia told journalist and attorney Aaron Parnas.
Asked whether she might run for office again, Leavitt told Lara Trump, “No ma’am, I am good!” She previously ran for Congress in New Hampshire in 2022 but lost to Chris Pappas
Garcia then referred to Donald Trump Jr.’s “red wedding,” the lavish ceremony he hosted earlier in the year that was reportedly financed by a Russian oligarch.
The bride, Bettina, addressed the speculation on September 14 by sharing a series of previously unseen photographs and describing the Russian national as “our dear friend Umar.”
Garcia also said Trump’s sons could face scrutiny over their positions on the boards of companies that were “getting, essentially, contracts from the Pentagon.”
He pointed to alleged “crypto schemes” and Jared Kushner’s ties to Saudi Arabia as additional issues that could be investigated, adding that “the list goes on and on and on.”
Garcia repeated the warning on Friday after reports emerged that Susie Wiles had been removed as Trump’s White House chief of staff and would be replaced by her senior aide, Stephen Miller.
Leavitt criticized Rep. Robert Garcia, pictured, after he told Trump and his family to “lawyer up” following the Democrats’ victories in the House and Senate
“Just days after the American people rejected his corrupt and lawless presidency, Donald Trump is doubling down. Stephen Miller is the architect of the unconstitutional ICE raids that have terrorized our communities and kidnapped and killed American citizens and immigrant families,” Garcia said.
“Oversight Democrats will continue to investigate Miller for his misconduct, and we will fight against his hateful policies in Congress and the courts. Steven Miller should lawyer up.”
