He Voted for Trump Twice. Now He’s Running for Senate as a Democrat. (w/ Kyle Sweetser)
Kyle Sweetser, a former two-time Trump voter and lifelong Republican, is now running for Senate in Alabama as a Democrat. He cites Trump-era tariffs' negative impact on his business and the January 6 Capitol attack as key reasons for his political shift. Sweetser believes Democrats can gain ground in deeply conservative states by directly confronting MAGA politics rather than avoiding them.
- ▪Kyle Sweetser voted for Donald Trump in both 2016 and 2020 before switching to the Democratic Party.
- ▪His business was negatively affected by tariffs implemented during the Trump administration.
- ▪The January 6 insurrection motivated Sweetser to become politically active and eventually run for office.
- ▪He is running for Senate in Alabama, a state Trump won by over 30 points in 2020.
- ▪Sweetser aims to appeal to disaffected Republicans by challenging MAGA ideology head-on.
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Playback speed×Share postShare post at current timeShare from 0:000:00/PreviewHe Voted for Trump Twice. Now He’s Running for Senate as a Democrat. (w/ Kyle Sweetser)Sarah LongwellMay 02, 2026∙ PaidShareSarah Longwell is joined by Kyle Sweetser, a former Trump voter and lifelong Republican who is now running for Senate in Alabama as a Democrat. Sweetser explains how Trump-era tariffs impacted his business, why January 6 pushed him into political activism, and why he believes Democrats can compete in deep red states by directly challenging MAGA politics instead of avoiding the fight.
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