Democrats Flex for the Camera in Bizarre Pre-Midterm Fitness Push

Over the weekend, a curious trend swept across social media feeds: a wave of gym-themed videos featuring Democratic politicians lifting weights, performing exercises, and issuing political messages — all in an apparent effort to rebrand the party’s image ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The push appears to be aimed at presenting Democrats as strong, energized, and ready to “lift” the nation out of political dysfunction. But not everyone was impressed — and some performances sparked more ridicule than admiration.

One of the most talked-about clips came from California Congressman Eric Swalwell, who posted a video of himself performing a basic bench press while launching a verbal attack on House Republicans and former President Donald Trump.

“I should be working right now. I should be at the Capitol. I should be in a suit,” Swalwell says in the video. “But instead, Republicans shut down Congress because they’d rather protect Donald Trump than release the Epstein files and support the victims.”

Swalwell’s video, which showed him bench pressing a modest 135 pounds — a standard warmup weight for many gym-goers — was widely mocked across political and fitness circles.

Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene took to X (formerly Twitter) to blast the video. “I just want Eric Swalwell to bench more than 135# and Democrats to stop lying,” she wrote. “Congress is always out of session in August no matter who’s in charge. And yes, release the Epstein files, but don’t pretend you suddenly care — you had four years and did nothing.”

Conservative commentator Matt Walsh was more blunt: “If I was a grown man who could only bench 135, you’d never see it on video unless someone secretly filmed me. And even then, I’d deny it was me.”

Swalwell, 44, isn’t the only Democratic figure trying to combine politics and powerlifting. Texas Senate candidate Colin Allred shared a clip of himself curling a dumbbell while criticizing Trump’s alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein. In New York, Army veteran and congressional hopeful Cait Conley posted a video of herself performing overhead presses, using the moment to highlight cost-of-living issues in her district.

In Michigan, Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, a former public health director, posted a heavy lifting session that went viral after a user questioned the weight on the barbell. “That’s 315, habibi,” El-Sayed replied — a response that racked up over 5 million views and earned him widespread attention, especially among younger voters.

Though the strategy may be garnering clicks, some Democratic strategists are urging caution.

Pat Dennis, a longtime campaign advisor, told CNN that while authenticity is powerful, over-the-top theatrics can backfire.

“I would caution Democrats against leaning into these performative stunts too hard,” Dennis said. “Don’t reduce your messaging to a checklist — ‘Young male candidate? Show him lifting weights. Young female candidate? Talk about Barbie.’ Voters can tell when they’re being pandered to. What matters most is that you show who you really are.”

Dennis added that while El-Sayed might benefit from the attention in Michigan’s competitive primary to replace retiring Senator Gary Peters, others may not be so lucky.

For Swalwell, in particular, the backlash highlights deeper issues surrounding his public image. He’s still dealing with the long shadow of a scandal involving a suspected Chinese spy, Christine Fang, commonly known as “Fang Fang.” The FBI cleared Swalwell of any wrongdoing in 2023, after he fully cooperated with federal investigators, but Republican critics haven’t let the issue go.

He’s been taunted at town halls, needled during House hearings, and remains a regular target of conservative media outlets. His recent gym video, instead of reshaping his image, has only added more fuel to the fire.

“He has no base. No message. Just a bench press,” a Republican congressional aide remarked, summing up conservative sentiment online.

Some Democrats defended the videos, saying the intent was to show energy and break through the noise of traditional political ads. However, political analysts warn that style without substance rarely moves the needle in an election year — and may even erode credibility if voters feel the performance lacks authenticity.

“People are tired of gimmicks,” Dennis said. “They’re looking for leadership, not someone trying to go viral for lifting a barbell.”

As the 2026 midterms approach, it remains to be seen whether this muscular messaging strategy will have any lasting impact — or if it’ll be remembered as a fleeting social media stunt that missed the mark.