Why Democrats are running against the "Epstein class"

Candidates Reference Jeffrey Epstein Associates in 2026 Midterm Campaign Messaging

After securing the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate in Maine, Graham Platner released a general election advertisement that did not mention his Republican opponent, Sen. Susan Collins, or the Republican Party. The ad instead focused on Jeffrey Epstein, the financier who died in 2019 while facing federal sex trafficking charges, and individuals Platner described as the “Epstein class” of elites from both parties.

In the advertisement, Platner stated that some of the most powerful Democrats and Republicans had visited Epstein’s former residence in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He positioned his campaign against what he called this group of elites, saying the party establishments appeared united in their association with Epstein and their opposition to him. Platner concluded the ad by stating he approved the message because voters would take back government from the Epstein class.

Other candidates have incorporated references to Epstein and the term “Epstein class” into their messaging. Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna of California said he first used the phrase in 2025 to describe wealthy and powerful individuals who associated with Epstein and assisted in restoring his public standing after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Khanna told The 19th that the phrase refers to people who do not follow the same rules as others and that multiple candidates highlighting the issue indicates its potential electoral value.

In competitive Senate races, Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia has used similar language criticizing elite corruption. In Texas, Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico has criticized Republican opponent Ken Paxton for approving a plea agreement in a child sexual abuse case that Talarico described as overly lenient. In Ohio, Republican Sen. Jon Husted and Democratic candidate Sherrod Brown have each run advertisements linking the other to campaign contributions from individuals connected to Epstein.

In 2025, survivors of Epstein’s crimes supported a bipartisan effort in Congress, led by Khanna and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, to require the Justice Department to release more than 3.5 million pages of investigative files. The files were released after a period of resistance from the Trump administration. Epstein’s death in federal custody was officially ruled a suicide.

No individuals other than Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a prison sentence for sex trafficking, have been prosecuted in the United States in connection with Epstein’s federal charges. Epstein maintained social and professional contacts with prominent figures from both political parties.

Republicans have pointed to Epstein’s documented associations with former President Bill Clinton and Democratic donor Reid Hoffman to question Democratic consistency on the issue. Some Democratic candidates have used the same associations to criticize influence networks spanning both parties.

Polling conducted in 2026 by Navigator Research and Data for Progress found that majorities of respondents, including majorities of Republicans in some questions, stated that insufficient accountability had occurred and supported additional arrests and prosecutions. In the Navigator survey released in March, half of respondents said they believed the government was definitely covering up additional wrongdoing, and 72 percent said more arrests and prosecutions should occur. Sixty-four percent described Epstein’s crimes as unsurprising and reflective of a broader problem.

Data for Progress polling indicated that voters associated the issue with wealthy elites and systemic corruption. Candidates in Kansas and Nebraska have also used the “Epstein class” framing in their Senate campaigns. Independent candidate Dan Osborn in Nebraska issued a statement linking Sens. Pete Ricketts and Ted Cruz to the same agenda.

Democratic pollsters stated that the topic maintains high awareness across partisan lines and aligns with existing voter concerns about corruption and cost-of-living issues. The article reports statements from candidates, members of Congress, and pollsters without additional interpretation.