Debate among Democrats is emerging, as Republicans gain High Ground and inflict damage
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Texas Insider Report) — The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) on Monday said it would pay for House Democrats to travel to El Salvador – as long as they “livestream the whole thing.” And senior Democrat Party operatives are now saying that since "the optics" seen by the American Voter are what matter the most – they've beginning to question the party's effort to focus so intently on the Abrego Garcia situation..
After a week of controverisal discussions and in-the-weeds, non-stop media analysis and social media domination by Republicans, the divide is rapidly developing within the Democrat Party over the handling of Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s case – with some now openly questioning whether "leaning into" the explosive issue is a winning strategy.Republicans have been on offense.
“If out of touch House Democrats are so desperate to cozy up to violent gang members, the least they can do is let Americans watch the show,” said National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokesperson Mike Marinella.
"We’ll pay for the plane tickets, they just can’t forget to smile for the camera while they sell out their constituents."
"We’ll pay for the plane tickets, they just can’t forget to smile for the camera while they sell out their constituents."
It’s been a whirlwind week for Democrats ever since Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen (below right, D-MD,) hatched his plan to fly to the Central American nation where Abrego Garcia has been held – and has effectively headlined an entire week's news cycle for the minority Democrat Party.
Some are even now questioning Van Hollen’s motivation, and do wonder whether he was the right figure to take on this fight.
“The hit on him that he’ll fly to El Salvador – on taxpayer dollars – and meet with a guy who’s accused of being in a gang, while he won’t meet with the family of gang victims in his home state, is a very fair hit,” a leading Democrat operative said.
“I think Democrats can be supportive of rule of law, and we should be supportive of rule of law, but I think we need to pick and choose our messengers better – and we need to pick and choose our battles better.”
“I think Democrats can be supportive of rule of law, and we should be supportive of rule of law, but I think we need to pick and choose our messengers better – and we need to pick and choose our battles better.”
The Democrat strategist said that despite Abrego Garcia having lived in the Maryland, it's “very notable” that no border-state Democrat – those who deal with the illegal immigrant issus every election cycle – has stepped forward to draw attention to the issue, and have instead sat out the chance to be on the front lines of the battle. “If you look at the senators who actually have to deal with immigration as an issue in their state in order to win, the fact that they’re not trying to hop on top of this, but a liberal senator from Maryland is kind of tells you everything you need to know about how palpable it is to the middle,” the operative said.
Said a second Democrat strategist:
“It is April of 2025. The people paying attention right now are diehard politicos, and we need to give our base something to root for – because if you just take losses every day. Fans stop showing up.”
“People can’t afford eggs, and… you’re flying to sit with someone who’s accused of being in a gang,” one Democratic operative told The Hill Newspaper recently.
“Republicans have given us such an opportunity with DOGE and … with Trump tanking the economy, obviously you can walk and chew gum at the same time. But I don’t think we can take our eyes off the prize in terms of talking about real, real world impacts – and how people are being hurt in their everyday lives by some of these policies.”
“People can’t afford eggs, and… you’re flying to sit with someone who’s accused of being in a gang,” one Democratic operative told The Hill Newspaper recently.
“Republicans have given us such an opportunity with DOGE and … with Trump tanking the economy, obviously you can walk and chew gum at the same time. But I don’t think we can take our eyes off the prize in terms of talking about real, real world impacts – and how people are being hurt in their everyday lives by some of these policies.”
Other high-profile Democrats have agreed.
California's high-profile Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom is among them – and has labeled the attention a “distraction” from economic tumult.
“Democrats want to think that everyone has the same morals and values that we do, and we want to think that everyone’s outraged by the same things that we are. We want to be the ones to help people and stand up for the moral injustices.
"That doesn’t necessarily win elections though – and last cycle was proof positive of that,” the second operative added.
“We need to step back and wait for someone to be deported who has a really compelling story – that’s devastating that Average Joe’s upset about.
"That person hasn’t presented themselves yet, and Democrats are battling their better instincts to not just hop at the first sign of injustice.”
"That doesn’t necessarily win elections though – and last cycle was proof positive of that,” the second operative added.
“We need to step back and wait for someone to be deported who has a really compelling story – that’s devastating that Average Joe’s upset about.
"That person hasn’t presented themselves yet, and Democrats are battling their better instincts to not just hop at the first sign of injustice.”Some Democrats, however, believe the battle over Abrego Garcia is a worthwhile cause in the grander scale of the 2026 mid-term election ycle, as it keeps party activists and the high-intensity voters – many of whom have been frustrated with Democrats’ responses to other issues – activated and engaged before Trump’s first 100 days are even over with.
Four Democrat House progressives arrived in El Salvador on Monday to push for Abrego Garcia’s return following Sen. Van Hollen, who made the trek to the Central American country last week. That group has framed the effort as pushing back on a threat to basic "constitutional rights."
“This is about due process; it’s about ensuring that we follow the laws of this country,” Cong. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) said after returning from El Salvador on Tuesday.
But Trump White House officials have been effective about focusing on Maryland Police and Sheriff Records that show Abrego Garcia is a “terrorist,” and can point to court records showing he is a member of the violent international MS-13 Gang.
Abrego Garcia’s family and attorneys have strongly pushed back on the MS-13 Gang accusation, but an immigration judge in 2019 granted him protection from being deported to El Salvador based on anticipated fear for his life.
The dynamics are raising questions among Democrats over whether it is a winning tactic for the party to focus on the Abrego Garcia Case.
