In a desperate attempt to flex political strength ahead of the 2026 midterms, Democrats rolled out a wave of bodybuilding-themed videos over the weekend—only to be met with widespread ridicule and mockery.

Leading the cringeworthy charge was Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), who posted a video of himself at the gym, awkwardly bench pressing what appeared to be a modest 135 pounds. The 44-year-old congressman tried to score political points by accusing Republicans of covering for President Donald J. Trump and blocking the release of the Epstein files.

“I should be working right now,” Swalwell said in the video. “I should be at the Capitol. I should be in a suit. Instead, Republicans sent us home because they would rather stand up for Donald Trump than release the Epstein files and stand up for victims.”

But conservatives weren’t buying it—and neither were social media users.

“I just want Eric Swalwell to bench more than 135# and Democrats to stop lying,” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). “Congress is always out of session in August no matter who is in charge. And yes, release the Epstein files—but Democrats, stop pretending like you suddenly care because you never cared about Epstein while you were in charge the last 4 years!!!”

“If I was a grown man who could only bench 135, you’d never see it on video unless someone secretly recorded it, and even then I would never admit it was me,” added conservative commentator Matt Walsh.

Swalwell wasn’t alone in turning the gym into a campaign stage. Other Democrats joined the trend:

• Colin Allred, a Senate candidate, shared a clip of himself curling a dumbbell while bashing Trump.
• Cait Conley, an Army veteran running for Congress in New York, did overhead presses while complaining about inflation.
• Abdul El-Sayed, a Michigan Senate hopeful, went viral for defending the legitimacy of the 315-pound lift he showcased.

“That’s 315, habibi,” El-Sayed replied to a skeptical viewer—his response alone pulling over 5 million views.

But even some Democrats are warning their party to dial it back.

“I would caution Democrats against pulling out a checklist – ‘For young men, we’ll do some bench pressing; for young women, we’ll talk about the Barbie movie,’” Democrat strategist Pat Dennis told CNN. “People don’t like checklists and they don’t like being pandered to.”

Of all the political lifters, Swalwell had the most to lose and the least to gain. His name is still synonymous with Fang Fang, the suspected Chinese spy who infiltrated Bay Area politics and got close to Swalwell before the FBI intervened. Though cleared of criminal wrongdoing, the scandal has left him politically radioactive.

He’s been shouted down at town halls, targeted in House hearings, and routinely skewered online. His latest gym stunt only fueled the perception that Swalwell lacks authenticity and relevance.

“He has no base. No message. Just a bench press,” a Republican congressional aide quipped.

As Democrats try to reshape their image with performative stunts and social media optics, conservatives argue it only highlights their lack of substance—and their failure to connect with voters who are focused on real issues like border security, economic survival, and national sovereignty.