During the night, a reoccurring theme, Donald Trump posted on his social media platform, a post depicting former President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama as apes. I want to be very clear when I say this: the post was beyond vile and intentional. Dropped in February during Black History Month no less, it carried dog whistles that we as Black folk know all too well. That kind of imagery isn’t accidental, and it isn’t harmless.

But hear me when I say this: this is not a moment to be consumed by anger—it’s a moment to be hyper FOCUSED.

Disruption is the strategy. Outrage is the bait. The goal is to keep us distracted, divided, and fighting each other instead of locking in on what actually moves power. Desperate times call for desperate measures, and make no mistake, this kind of rhetoric is a sign of desperation. Their base stays disciplined, stays on message, and uses chaos to pull everyone else off theirs.

We can’t afford that.

The move right now is unity, clarity, and purpose. Our response shouldn’t just be condemnation, it should be action. Don’t let the smoke and mirrors derail the work in front of us. Don’t let ugliness distract us from building something better.

So here's the call:

Let’s elect leaders who speak for the majority, not a harmful and shrinking base. This isn’t about party labels. Respect and decency are not partisan. Basic human dignity should never be up for debate.

The post was unacceptable. The message behind it was ugly.

But our response will be focused, unified, and powerful.

That’s the move! 

As Oklahoma Democrats, we are working every day to engage, connect, and organize Oklahomans to elect Democrats at every level of government.