This Is The Plan

A New York Times bestseller
"Ben Wikler is one of the most strategic and respected leaders of his generation. If we do what this book says, we will win."—Nancy Pelosi
From the most successful Democratic operative of the last decade, a revelatory account of what you—yes, you—can do to defeat Trumpism. If you are looking at the spiraling crisis of American politics in the Trump era and wondering how the hell we get out of this mess, This Is the Plan is the book you've been waiting for. Ben Wikler led the Democratic Party of Wisconsin to a string of improbable victories in a state with a political system so rigged that it was dubbed a “democracy desert”—which is, coincidentally, Trump's goal for the whole country. Now, in This Is the Plan, Wikler distills lessons from the front lines in America's most closely divided state to map out a comprehensive plan to dictator-proof American government, defeat MAGA at every level of the ballot, and build a future of democracy, opportunity, and freedom for all. It will be a blast. The plan is to, as he writes, “have fun storming the castle—in a civil, metaphorical, and non-January-6th-y way.” Drawing on decades of organizing, from local races (including a race for county coroner that hinged on the issue of zombification) to presidential showdowns, Wikler brings us behind the scenes to explore the hidden structures of power that shape our politics and our lives, and takes us into the art and science of winning elections. As he details a people-powered path out of the political wilderness, Wikler reveals what you personally can do to move the needle. This Is the Plan reveals, year by year and step by step, a vision not only to end America's collapse into authoritarianism but also to reconnect us to our neighbors—and, fighting side by side for democracy, to build meaning, community, and joy.

Ben Wikler is an American political organizer who served as the chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin from July 2019 to July 2025. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin.