How Democrats Can Thrive in the Age of Trump
A Q&A with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel about tactics for expanding on this year’s electoral victories.
He has a few ideas.
Photographer: Win McNamee/Getty ImagesRahm Emanuel was the tactician when Democrats last wrested control of the House of Representatives from Republicans, in 2006. He plotted strategy for the next two years in setting the stage for the election of President Barack Obama, to whom he became chief of staff. Earlier, he was a top aide to President Bill Clinton and a three-term congressman. Now he’s the second-term Democratic mayor of Chicago.
Emanuel held forth for half an hour last week in his City Hall office on how he wants Democrats to wield the power they gained in the November midterm elections, when they picked up 40 Republican-held seats to seize a House majority. Here are edited excerpts of the conversation: