Clinton cites 2016 loss and 9/11 in speech on voter disillusionment

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton included her 2016 election defeat in a list of national traumas during a speech to Nebraska Democrats, linking the loss to broader voter disillusionment. Speaking at an event on Saturday, Clinton addressed questions regarding why some Democratic voters feel their votes do not matter. She argued that this sentiment stems from a series of difficult periods over the last 25 years, which she detailed to the audience.

Clinton listed the September 11 attacks, the 2008 financial crisis, the 2016 election, and the COVID-19 pandemic as key moments that shaped public frustration. She noted that she was a U.S. senator from New York during the 9/11 attacks, describing the event as a trauma for the country. Regarding the 2016 election, she stated that it raised questions the nation is still trying to answer.

Clinton told the crowd that if voters question whether their participation matters because they feel ignored by officials, the party must repeatedly demonstrate that they are valued. She emphasized that Democrats must prove they can produce results for Americans and use majorities to affect lives. Clinton also criticized President Donald Trump's messaging tactics, arguing that his initial appeal as a different kind of leader is wearing off as voters assess whether their lives have actually improved.

The Republican National Committee responded to Clinton's comments through National Press Secretary Natalie Baldassarre. Baldassarre stated that Clinton is in no position to help Americans escape what she called "Democrats' delusional America-last policies." The RNC statement also referenced Democrat Dan Osborn, asserting he will never be a senator.

Separately from her speech in Nebraska, Clinton made her first endorsement of a U.S. Senate candidate for the 2026 midterm elections on Thursday. She backed Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan in a post on the social media platform Bluesky. Flanagan accepted the support in her own post, describing Clinton as having spent five decades fighting for working families. Clinton also answered an audience question about what she would have done differently in her political career, responding that she would have secured victory in both the popular vote and the Electoral College.

Clinton previously called the Electoral College an "abomination" in a trailer for the Netflix docuseries "The American Experiment," which aired in June. The push to abolish the Electoral College has gained support among some on the left following Clinton's 2016 loss to Trump, despite her winning the national popular vote.