Bill and Hillary Clinton make eleventh-hour midterm moves as party's old guard faces new reality

The Clintons are back on the midterm campaign circuit — with Bill Clinton heading to Florida to stump for Democratic gubernatorial nominee David Jolly and Hillary Clinton taking to the podcast microphone as the party makes its final push toward Election Day.

The former president is scheduled to make his first public campaign appearance of the 2026 election cycle on Oct. 20 for Jolly, a former Republican congressman turned Democrat. Hillary, meanwhile, has teamed up with journalist Kara Swisher for a new midterm-focused podcast series and has been making campaign appearances of her own.

The moves bring two of the Democratic Party's most recognizable figures into the midterm fight as the party grapples with competing visions for its future, raising questions about how much influence the Clintons still wield as progressive candidates challenge the Democratic establishment.

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While the Clintons remain prominent in Democratic politics, one party strategist says Democrats are more focused on winning elections than revisiting the party's past.

"President Clinton remains one of the most gifted political communicators this country has ever known, particularly when it comes to connecting with working-class voters on the economic issues that matter most," said Democratic strategist Kevin Walling. "But I don’t believe that Democrats are looking for a Clinton restoration — they’re looking for a path back to winning."

Democratic strategist Mally Smith offered a more skeptical assessment of how much reach the Clintons have in the closing weeks of the election.

"Hillary and Bill are still relevant to some voters. However, they will mostly be useful in speaking to the Democratic base and those who are highly engaged in politics," said Smith. "It is a hard media environment to breakthrough and even current elected officials, let alone former office holders, will struggle to get people’s attention."

Clinton's Oct. 20 appearance will take place at an interfaith event in Hollywood, Florida, alongside Jolly, who is facing Republican Rep. Byron Donalds in the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Jolly is campaigning on affordability, including lowering property insurance costs through a state-backed catastrophe fund, expanding Medicaid, increasing funding for public schools and protecting abortion rights.

Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, traveled to Omaha, Nebraska, on Saturday to rally support for Democratic candidates Lynne Walz and Denise Powell at a "Pumpkins, Pies, and Politics" fundraiser.

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Asked how she would address Democrats who feel their votes no longer matter, Clinton pointed to a series of national crises that have contributed to voter frustration — including her 2016 election loss.

"And you could kind of understand that, for people who feel like they've had a series of hard times. If you look back on the last 25 years in our country, I was a senator from New York on 9/11. That was a trauma. The terrible financial crisis of 2008 was horrific for people. We had an election in 2016 that, you know, raised a lot of questions that we're still trying to find answers for about what, what kind of really went on, and then we had COVID," she said during the Nebraska event.

Clinton teamed up with journalist and podcast host Kara Swisher for a six-week limited series titled "High Stakes," which debuted Oct. 14 and will air weekly through mid-November, focusing on the 2026 midterm elections, key congressional races and issues.

The first episode, which aired Wednesday, centered on rising costs for gas, groceries and healthcare, Elon Musk's political spending and how Democrats can make affordability a winning message, while also examining key Senate races in Michigan and Maine.

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"If the former president can help Democrats compete in a challenging state like Florida, and Secretary Clinton’s podcast can contribute to a substantive national conversation that motivates my party, that’s certainly a positive," said Walling.

The Clintons' increased visibility comes as Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates have scored primary victories against incumbent or establishment-backed Democrats in states including Colorado, New York and Michigan.

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"The challenge for Democrats is drawing on the wisdom and experience of the party’s past without overshadowing the next generation of leaders who will define its future," he added.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Clintons and Jolly’s campaign for comment.