Health Care

Democrats seize on MAHA’s growing frustration with GOP

Comments:

by Rachel Frazin and Nathaniel Weixel - 05/03/26 5:00 PM ET

Comments:

Link copied

by Rachel Frazin and Nathaniel Weixel - 05/03/26 5:00 PM ET

Comments:

Link copied

NOW PLAYING

Democrats see an opening ahead of the midterm elections with increasingly disappointed Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) voters.

Many activists in the MAHA base are furious with the Trump administration over its backing of a controversial weed killer and pesticides more broadly. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s defense of those moves has deepened the sense of disillusionment among his followers who helped deliver President Trump to the White House.

An executive order prioritized the domestic production of glyphosate, a key ingredient in Roundup, a controversial herbicide that’s widely used in commercial farming. The administration also sided with drug company Bayer in a Supreme Court lawsuit over the chemical.

On Capitol Hill, tensions flared over language in the farm bill that would have restricted certain lawsuits against pesticide companies — though the language was ultimately stripped via amendment Thursday.

Many Democrats are also critical of the chemical industry and are leaning into what could be a natural alliance with the MAHA voters.

“I have told many of my colleagues over the years ‘you’re crazy if you don’t talk to people about food and toxins,’” Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) said when asked if Democrats should be trying to engage with MAHA voters.

Pingree was a leading voice in the fight to remove the pro-pesticide language. Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) this week introduced legislation to overturn Trump’s glyphosate executive order.

During a recent rally with MAHA activists at the Supreme Court ahead of a case about limiting Americans’ ability to sue pesticide companies, Booker spoke about standing up to the major corporations that are taking over the food and farming industries and putting unsafe chemicals in the food supply.

“Don’t let the false narrative of the tribal politics distract you from the truth. This is not a left or right issue. This is a right or wrong issue,” said Booker, who has not ruled out a presidential bid in 2028.

At the same rally, Pingree directly called out the Trump administration.

“This administration, unfortunately, has supported this appeal at the Supreme Court, and they even went so far to invoke the Defense Production Act to boost production of glyphosate,” Pingree said.

“They do not care for the health of our kids or the health of our farmers,” Pingree added.

On the sidelines of the rally, Pingree told reporters that she thinks her Democratic colleagues should engage with MAHA voters on their core issues, like toxic chemicals.

“I’m spending a lot of time talking to my colleagues about: this is going to be a really important election year issue and there are people who got involved in politics purely because of this issue and now they’re confused about the president’s support for the Supreme Court,” she added.

Her Democratic colleagues seem to be taking the advice to heart.

During a marathon series of budget hearings with Kennedy across the House and Senate, Democrats peppered him with questions about glyphosate and MAHA.

Prior to joining the Trump administration, Kennedy crusaded against glyphosate and even won a landmark case against the pesticide giant Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, by representing a groundskeeper who alleged that Roundup weed killer contributed to his cancer.

But now that he is the nation’s top health official, Kennedy defended the president’s executive order. He framed it as necessary for agricultural stability and national security.

After coming under fire from MAHA activists, Kennedy eventually changed his tone to express his disagreement with the administration’s moves. He also said he was working with other officials, including Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, to transition the country away from glyphosate.

During a House Appropriations hearing, Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) pointed to Kennedy’s past comments where he said glyphosate causes cancer.

“I’m just trying to understand, did the evidence change between now and then?” Pocan asked. “I would like to make sure MAHA doesn’t become Make America Healthy When it’s Convenient Again.”

“I have grave reservations about the president’s executive order,” Kennedy replied, but he added, “I understand why he did it.”

In a separate hearing days later, Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) similarly pressed Kennedy about why his current actions don’t match his past activism.

“When you were running [for president] to get the MAHA vot