Republicans are paying the price at the polls because they don’t put people first - opinion

ByDUVI HONIGNOVEMBER 4, 2026 19:00

Republicans know how to come out strong. They know how to deliver powerful speeches, defend their values, and stand firm on their positions.

But from what I have repeatedly witnessed, too many seem more interested in securing support than in the people providing it. People don’t just want to know what you stand for. They want to know whether you will stand with them.

That distinction is far more important than many political leaders seem to realize, and it deserves attention whenever Republicans face disappointing results at the polls.

In my experience, Democrats have often demonstrated an understanding of the personal side of politics. You may disagree with their policies, reject their political agenda, or question their decisions. But there is something to be learned from the attention many give to communication, accessibility, and maintaining relationships.

They understand that political engagement is not simply about pushing out a message. It is about meeting people, engaging them, and making them feel heard. That connection does not happen automatically; it takes attention and effort.

That is an art. And what I have witnessed too often among Republicans is not simply a failure to master it. It is a failure to invest in it. They can devote enormous energy to a mission while showing remarkably little interest in the people they expect to support it.

Having spent years working with elected officials, government agencies, business organizations, and community leaders across the political spectrum, I have seen how political relationships are cultivated and how easily they can be neglected.

I have also experienced a troubling pattern firsthand.

When an endorsement is needed, the phone rings. When community support becomes important, doors suddenly open. When influential organizations or respected community leaders can help a campaign, their relationships and credibility are welcomed.

But what happens afterward?

Too often, the communication disappears. The relationship becomes one-sided. The very people whose support was valued are left wondering whether anyone is still listening.

And when political setbacks occur, those who stood beside the leadership can find themselves standing alone.

You cannot build loyalty by treating relationships as temporary political conveniences.

There is a difference between strength and arrogance. There is a difference between confidence and snobbery. And there is an enormous difference between holding a leadership position and actually demonstrating leadership.

Republicans should be asking themselves whether their approach to relationships always reflects the values of respect, responsibility, and accountability they so strongly advocate.

You can see the difference in the media, and you can feel it in person.

Look at Fox News, CNN, The New York Times, and other major outlets. They differ in their audiences, perspectives, and editorial approaches, and their reporting is regularly challenged. But their success also rests on something beyond the stories themselves: they work to build an ongoing relationship with the people they reach.

Now meet political leaders face-to-face. Engage them. See who listens, who follows up, and who makes the effort to stay connected. People notice the difference. They can tell when they are being spoken at rather than spoken with.

Too often, Republicans act as though having a mission is enough. They announce it, promote it, ring the bells, and push the message out. But broadcasting a mission is not the same as investing in the people you want to bring along. That is the art of connecting, and too often it is missing.

Connecting does not mean abandoning principles or telling people only what they want to hear. It means treating them as human beings, not simply numbers, votes, endorsements, or opportunities. You cannot demand a relationship through a louder microphone.

Personal relationships

In the business world, we understand this instinctively.

A company that contacts its customers only when it wants to sell something will eventually struggle to maintain their trust. An organization that values its partners only when it needs a favor cannot expect lasting loyalty.

Successful relationships require communication, respect, consistency, and follow-through. Political organizations should be no different.

Yet I have raised these concerns repeatedly, shared my observations, and attempted to communicate them to people in positions of influence. Too often, I have encountered little meaningful response.

And that is perhaps the most frustrating part. The problem is not that they have forgotten how to connect. Too often, they seem unwilling to prioritize people and their concerns in the first place.

This matters particularly within the Jewish community, where community leaders and organizations often invest significant time and credibility in building relationships with government and elected officials.

An endorsement is not just a signature or a photograph. It represents trust. It can carry the confidence of individuals and institutions whose reputations were built over many years.

That trust deserves to be respected before, during, and after an election.

I am not suggesting that every Republican behaves this way or that Democrats are universally better at maintaining relationships. Both parties have outstanding public servants, and both sides have failures. But the pattern I have personally witnessed deserves attention.

When Republican candidates pay a price at the polls, there are always multiple explanations: the economy, policy, the candidates themselves, and the national political climate. I would never pretend that one failure explains an entire election.

But I believe the party’s approach to personal relationships is too often missing from that conversation.

Political campaigns invest enormous resources in advertisements, consultants, slogans, and getting their message out. Yet a message, however powerful, is not a substitute for a relationship. The investment that matters is also personal: being accessible, listening, and following through even when there is no immediate gain.

Returning a phone call. Listening to a concern. Recognizing someone’s contribution. Maintaining a relationship when there is no immediate political benefit.

These gestures may seem small, but they reveal whether the people behind the mission actually matter to its leaders. No slogan can substitute for that.

Ultimately, the measure of political leadership should not be limited to how effectively someone rallies supporters, challenges opponents, or commands a microphone. It should also include how that person treats the people who helped along the way.

Strength without humility can become arrogance. Leadership without accessibility can become snobbery. And political relationships without loyalty eventually become transactions.

Regardless of which party controls Congress, who occupies the White House, or what the next election brings, that lesson will remain relevant. Politics may be about winning elections, but leadership is about earning people’s trust.

And the true test of that trust begins when you no longer need their endorsement.

The writer is the founder and CEO of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce.

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