Posted July 30, 2026
I fell in love with politics because I believed democracy was built through relationships.
At 16, I knocked on doors because I believed ordinary people could shape their communities. At 18, I became a Democratic National Convention delegate because I believed democracy depended on participation. I saw politics not as a path to branding, but as a responsibility to listen, organize and serve.
Today, after nearly a decade of organizing and working around Colorado politics, I find myself asking: When did politics become more about performance than public service?
Disagreement is not the problem. Democracy requires debate, competing ideas, and contested elections. What concerns me is that our political culture increasingly rewards visibility over substance.
Social media has transformed campaigns into branding exercises. Candidates are judged by how effectively they communicate online rather than the depth of their work. Outrage spreads faster than nuance. Somewhere along the way, we began mistaking being loud for being effective.
But a digital presence is not inherently a problem. Leaders like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani demonstrate that communication strategies can coexist with grassroots organizing and policy advocacy. The lesson is not to abandon communication, but to ensure visibility is matched by substance.
A viral post can start a conversation, but it cannot replace listening to constituents, building coalitions, negotiating, and delivering results.
When I first became involved in Colorado politics, success was measured by relationships and results — not visibility. We disagreed, but we still knocked on doors and made phone calls because lasting change required trust.
Those moments rarely go viral. But they are the foundation of democracy.
Today, too often, politics feels driven by internet battles, ideological purity tests, and public call-outs. People are judged by whether they use the “right” language or belong to the “right” group rather than whether they can solve problems.
This year’s Colorado primaries reminded me how important trust is. Across races involving candidates with different backgrounds and priorities, I found myself asking: Before we divide volunteers, donors and communities into competing camps, have we done enough to build relationships with one another first?
Competition is healthy in democracy. Primaries give voters choices and strengthen accountability. But competition should not replace collaboration.
How often do candidates with similar values sit down over coffee before launching campaigns? How often do we ask whether communities would be better served by building coalitions rather than brands?
These questions are not about any one candidate or election. They are about the political culture we are creating.
Before every election, voters should ask: What are we actually rewarding? Experience? Character? Integrity? Policy knowledge? The ability to build coalitions? Or are we simply rewarding whoever dominates our social media feeds?
There are important questions and legitimate debates surrounding organizations and candidates, but instead of finding answers, people are often met with vitriol from voices chasing online attention rather than solutions. If someone’s goal is to “win” an argument instead of approaching the conversation with the intention of understanding or persuading they distort the very candidate or cause they claim to represent.
In an era of algorithms, AI summaries, and social media feeds, it has become harder to distinguish reporting from commentary and evidence from opinion. Verifying information requires time, and time is limited in today’s world.
That reality should not make us less willing to engage. It should make us more willing to seek context, ask questions, and approach difficult conversations with humility.
Despite everything, I haven’t lost faith in democracy — I’ve lost faith in a political culture that rewards internet warriors over bridge-builders, performative victories over practical solutions, and outrage over organizing and service.
Colorado deserves a culture where leadership is measured not by followers or viral moments, but by humility, integrity, trust and the work of serving communities.
Jeeva Senthilnathan is a Colorado-based engineer and government affairs professional with a background in public policy, civic engagement, and community organizing. This commentary is republished from Colorado Newsline under a Creative Commons license.
