Janice R. Andrews
Democratic organizations are experiencing a surge in political engagement following major federal workforce reductions implemented by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk. Approximately 30,000 federal employees across multiple agencies have lost their jobs, sparking grassroots activism aimed at challenging the Trump administration.
Progressive recruitment group Run For Something has received over 2,000 new applications from individuals interested in running for office, with many former federal workers discussing political candidacy on Reddit. To build on this momentum, the organization plans to host an “Ask Me Anything” session on a subreddit affiliated with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
“I expect we will see candidates who will talk about how Donald Trump and Elon Musk fired them while they were working for the American people,” said Amanda Litman, Run For Something’s co-founder, highlighting the powerful campaign narrative this creates.
The workforce reductions have affected numerous departments:
- Agriculture Department: 4,200 workers (including Forest Service)
- Energy Department: 1,000 employees (many managing the power grid)
- Health and Human Services: 2,800 employees (including CDC and NIH staff)
- Interior Department: 2,300 workers (including National Park Service)
- Treasury Department: 6,000 IRS employees
Protests have emerged nationwide, including demonstrations at Tesla showrooms and rallies in Washington, D.C., where hundreds of federal workers and retirees have voiced their opposition.
Democratic strategists view this activism as potentially significant for the 2026 midterms. Ben Ray of EMILY’s List noted: “The town halls, the activism from protests over the holiday weekend, it speaks for itself,” suggesting parallels to the 2017 response to Trump’s first term that led many non-traditional candidates to successfully run for office.
Democrats are working to channel the discontent over DOGE’s policies into a movement that could impact future elections and potentially restore the federal workforce.
