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.

Want to be a part of the Branding Democrats Community?

Follow us on our social media👇👇👇

Instagram: @brandingdems

TikTok: @brandingdems

Twitter: @brandingdems

Email gabby@brandingdemocrats.com if you’d like to be a guest on our show.

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

Want to be a part of the Branding Democrats Community?

Follow us on our social media👇👇👇

Instagram: @brandingdems

TikTok: @brandingdems

Twitter: @brandingdems

Email gabby@brandingdemocrats.com if you’d like to be a guest on our show.

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

Want to be a part of the Branding Democrats Community?

Follow us on our social media👇👇👇

Instagram: @brandingdems

TikTok: @brandingdems

Twitter: @brandingdems

Email gabby@brandingdemocrats.com if you’d like to be a guest on our show.