A viral social media video from a former left-leaning Pittsburgh native who moved to Portland has become a talking point in the ongoing post-election political analysis. The video features a man lamenting how the far-left culture of Portland has disillusioned him and pushed him further to the political right. From unchecked homelessness to ideological intolerance, the speaker described Portland as a “Twilight Zone” of progressive dysfunction.
Fox News contributor and political columnist Joe Concha joined Chicago’s Morning Answer to weigh in on the broader implications of this kind of disillusionment among once-reliable Democratic voters.
“That’s exactly the kind of voter Kamala Harris lost in November,” said Concha, referring to the failed 2024 Democratic presidential campaign. “People who identified with liberal values but are now realizing that the far-left has lost touch with reality.”
Concha, whose new book The Greatest Comeback Ever: Inside Trump’s Big Beautiful Campaign was released this week, said the Portland man’s comments illustrate why Donald Trump’s message resonated with so many Americans in 2024.
“Democrats have somehow managed to be on the wrong side of every 80/20 issue,” Concha said, pointing to topics like gender identity in sports, border policy, and government spending. “These aren’t fringe topics anymore—these are dinner table issues that common-sense voters care about.”
Concha also noted the Democratic Party’s struggle to find an authentic and compelling national candidate. Vice President Kamala Harris’s failed presidential bid was riddled with what Concha called “strategic errors,” from choosing the wrong running mate to mishandling key constituencies like Catholic and working-class voters.
“She could have picked Josh Shapiro, a Jewish Democrat with high approval in a swing state, but avoided him out of fear of alienating parts of her base,” Concha said. “Instead, she picked Tim Walz, who brought nothing to the ticket.”
Concha emphasized that modern Democratic candidates seem to be manufactured rather than naturally rising through the ranks—selected by party elites rather than earned through grassroots support. “That’s why someone like Harris doesn’t resonate. She comes across as inauthentic.”
He also took aim at Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, a rumored 2028 hopeful. “Pritzker’s playbook is to say extreme things in a calm voice and hope it sounds reasonable,” said Concha. “But the political incentives in the Democratic Party right now reward outlandish rhetoric, not moderation.”
That observation, Concha said, helps explain the rise of media darlings like Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “If you say something outrageous, you get booked. If you make sense, you’re ignored. That’s how the left-wing media ecosystem operates.”
As for policy direction, Concha pointed to the success of populist, progrowth messaging elsewhere—particularly in the recent victory of Mark Carney in Canada. Carney, a moderate figure who distanced himself from the culturally progressive agenda of Justin Trudeau, found success by emphasizing economic stability and national pride.
“If Democrats were smart, they’d take a page from Carney’s playbook,” Concha said. “But instead, they take cues from MSNBC and Twitter.”
Turning to Trump, Concha described the former president’s first 100 days back in office as surprisingly stable, particularly on the economic front. “Border crossings are down, inflation is down, and the markets have stabilized,” he said. “The media may be portraying chaos, but the numbers tell a different story.”
He also touched on the July assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania—calling it one of the most under-examined stories of the campaign. “The fact that Trump still took the stage, even with a known threat nearby, raises serious questions about how that was allowed to happen,” he said. “No one has been fired from the Secret Service. That’s shocking.”
In a conversation with Trump for his book, Concha asked what compelled him to rise and yell “Fight! Fight! Fight!” after being struck. “He told me he knew his family and the country were watching, and he wanted them to know he was okay,” Concha recalled. “That moment defined the comeback.”
As for the future, Concha believes Trump’s best strategy is to “stay the course.” He dismissed calls for a pivot, arguing that the former president’s instincts and message are aligned with the mood of the electorate.
“The lesson of 2024 is that common sense still wins,” said Concha. “The more Democrats ignore that, the more elections they’ll lose.”
Joe Concha’s book, The Greatest Comeback Ever, is available now.