This week on Branding Democrats, we sit down with Steve—better known online as @FactsStillMatter—a Vermont-based creator and former broadcast/media professional who’s built a daily live show around politics, culture, and one big premise: facts still matter.

We dig into why media literacy is basically a modern survival skill, how right-wing outlets have trained audiences to treat propaganda like “truth,” and what it means when public trust in journalism gets intentionally hollowed out. From Trump’s latest “tantrum” messaging to the bigger structural threat of billionaires and captured regulators (including the FCC), the conversation asks: what happens when the guardrails are gone, and how do we build them back?

We also get tactical about Democratic branding: why “we had the best economy in the world” didn’t land at the kitchen table, what it looks like to become the true party of affordability (healthcare, monopolies, tax fairness, tariffs), and how to win over the small slice of voters that decides elections. Steve shares his plan for a “Do Something” tour focused on non-voters, and the episode closes with some real talk about 2026, 2028, and what it’ll take to fight harder—and smarter—going forward.

Check out more from Steve: @FactsStillMatter

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In this week’s episode of Branding Democrats, Ken makes a big call: we’re at the beginning of the end of the Trump era. He breaks down why, from the Epstein files and Trump’s desperate “tariff dividend” promises, to a looming affordability crisis and an overinflated stock market, and what all of it means for Democratic messaging.

Gabby and Ken dig into the politics and the branding of the longest government shutdown in history and push back on the “Dems caved” narrative, arguing that Democrats can’t be branded as the villains in a crisis Republicans engineered. They talk about how to keep voters emotionally grounded in what “Epstein” really means, why healthcare and affordability should be the core Democratic story, and how Democrats can learn from figures like Mamdani and Gavin Newsom to feel less “establishment” and more like the party of real people again.

Finally, they zoom out: What does an America after Trump look like? Who leads it, what guardrails need to be rebuilt, and how can Democrats—and the growing creator community around them—use this chaotic moment to grow their brand, build community, and bring home the 1–3% of voters needed to turn the page?

To hear more from Ken: @brandingdems on TikTok.

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This week on Branding Democrats, we sit down with Essy, better known online as @TheDarkLeft — a progressive creator and Substack writer who’s built a massive following by cutting through right-wing spin with clarity and conviction.

In this episode, we unpack how modern fascism doesn’t look like tanks in the streets. It looks like what we’re living through right now: a president weaponizing government shutdowns, silencing critics through intimidation, and flooding the media ecosystem with disinformation.

Essy shares how his platform became an outlet for millions who felt unseen on the left, and why the Democratic Party’s messaging often struggles to match the right’s emotional punch. The conversation dives into how the GOP reframes lies into viral talking points, why mainstream media still hesitates to call out authoritarian behavior directly, and what Democrats must do differently.

To hear more from Essy, find him on TikTok, Instagram, and Substack: @The Dark Left

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This week on Branding Democrats, we sit down with creator and comedian Bill Jubran to unpack a wild stretch in American politics.

We dive into the revival-style atmosphere at Charlie Kirk’s memorial and what it signals about MAGA’s future. We contrast Erika Kirk’s unity-and-forgiveness moment with Trump’s open calls for retribution on the same stage, and ask what happens when a movement mixes religion with raw power politics.

Then we zoom out: What do you do when the umpire’s biased? With a Supreme Court that keeps greenlighting executive overreach, Bill lays out why creators, validators, and everyday voters have to apply pressure in the culture as well as the courts. We talk why “deregulation” = removing protections, the real stakes on health care, and how to reach the 2–3% of persuadables who decide elections.

Check out more of Bill's content @Bill.jubran and @Bill.Jubran 2025

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This week on Branding Democrats, we are joined by political creator and podcaster Jon Cooper (@counterpointpolitics) for a raw conversation about America’s deepening crisis.

We begin the episode by addressing the shooting of Charlie Kirk at a Utah rally. Political violence is a symptom of a larger problem in our society, and we take some time to unpack what's going on.

Later, Jon gets into why false equivalence is so dangerous, why Republicans win on branding even when they lie, and what Democrats must do to fight back.

We also dive into Trump’s failing economic agenda, the danger of his tariff obsession, and whether figures like JD Vance could be even worse for our democracy.

It’s part therapy session, part strategy talk — and a call to action for Democrats to stop playing defense and start owning the narrative.

Check out more of Jon's content:

TikTok: @counterpointpolitics

Podcast: The Left Wing

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In our 101st episode of Branding Democrats, we sit down with progressive TikTok creator Nicole Whitted (@NicoleWhittedAuthor) to talk about politics, branding, and what it takes to cut through the GOP’s smoke and mirrors.

Nicole shares what motivated her to start making videos and how her content reaches people in deeply red communities.

Together, we unpack why voters don’t always know what Dems stands for, how to counter Republican narratives about money and power, and what it means to “match their energy” in the fight ahead.

This episode is equal parts candid, urgent, and hopeful—a look at how creators, organizers, and everyday Democrats can push back against authoritarianism and reclaim the brand of a party that fights for people.

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For our 100th episode of Branding Democrats, we’re bringing back a very special guest: Daryl Weber, Ken’s son and co-author of Branding Democrats.

In this conversation, we look back at the book’s predictions—what Democrats got wrong (and right) in the last election cycle—and how the party’s branding failures continue to hold it back.

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This week on Branding Democrats, we are joined by TikTok creator Felicia, best known as @Jeanine Pirreaux. Stay and listen for a wildly funny and fiercely smart conversation about the role of satire in politics, the unraveling of Trump’s second term, and why comedy might be the Democrats’ secret weapon.

Felicia shares how Judge Jeanine Pirro became her MAGA muse, how political sketch comedy became her coping mechanism after Trump’s reelection, and what advice she’d give to Democrats trying to win hearts and minds in a broken information landscape.

We talk about Trump’s deepening Epstein scandal, the missing files, and why this time—Teflon might not hold.

This episode gets to the heart of how Democrats can fight disinformation, reclaim the narrative, and—yes—finally get funny.

To hear more from Jeanine/Felicia -->

TikTok: @Jeanine Pirreaux

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