Crisis Mode Engulfs Democratic Party as Losses Accumulate: 'The Democratic Party needs to be rebuilt'
There is a consensus that the working class has been lost, yet opinions differ significantly on who is responsible and what actions should be taken moving forward.
TroibNews 
Democrats are facing a serious identity crisis.
In the wake of Kamala Harris' defeat, the breadth of the party's challenges is coming into sharp focus. The ongoing loss of working-class white voters, as seen in recent elections, is troubling enough. Now, new exit polls indicate that blue-collar Latinos and some Black men—once essential to the Democratic base—are also distancing themselves from the party, contributing to significant electoral setbacks. Republicans have gained ground in the Senate and are increasing their majority, while Democrats' chances to reclaim the House are dwindling. Moreover, Donald Trump recorded a landslide victory, marking a significant moment in modern political history.
“The Democratic Party needs to be rebuilt,” said Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. “We have become a party of elites, whether we abandoned working-class people, whether they abandoned us, whether it’s some combination of all of the above.”
In conversations with 16 elected officials, party leaders, and strategists, Democrats across the spectrum agree they have lost the ability to connect with the working class, which has long been a cornerstone of the party’s identity. However, opinions diverge regarding who is at fault and how the party should respond. Just as Trump's previous victories sparked intense debates within the party, his potential return to the White House is reigniting tensions between the party's progressive and moderate factions about the way forward.
Sen. Bernie Sanders initiated the latest discourse on Wednesday, stating on X that “it should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them.” In response, Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison dismissed Sanders’ comments as “straight up BS,” asserting that President Joe Biden is “the most-pro worker President of my lifetime.”
The upcoming fight over the next chair of the Democratic National Committee is among the first battlegrounds where the party’s future under a potential Trump presidency will be discussed. Some progressives are suggesting Wisconsin Democratic Party leader Ben Wikler as a candidate. Jayapal expressed her support for “somebody” like Wikler. Other rumored candidates include New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Minnesota Democratic Party Chair Ken Martin.
Nevertheless, an assessment of the situation following Tuesday’s election is crucial. Some moderate Democrats are attributing Harris’ losses among non-college-educated and lower-income voters to a party they feel has shifted too far left, citing issues like immigration reform, transgender rights, and abortion access as liabilities in critical areas.
Rep. Henry Cuellar, who secured a difficult victory in Texas border counties that went for Trump, emphasized that border issues significantly impact battleground House members. He noted a growing frustration among Latinos in his district regarding federal support for undocumented immigrants, which has manifested in recent voting patterns.
This year, “the dam busted here where all of a sudden people said enough is enough” and voted for Trump, Cuellar explained. “Some of us have been talking about border security for a long time.”
On the other hand, some progressive and populist Democrats felt a sense of validation, arguing that the party should have embraced a stronger economic message long ago. They contend that Harris' attempts to appeal to moderate Republicans were futile and that moderates have hindered progressive initiatives like the expanded child tax credit.
The Democratic Party has navigated crises before, notably after Hillary Clinton's loss in 2016. However, during that time, many within the party—along with some Republicans—downplayed Trump’s victory as lacking popular support. Now, with his reelection by even larger margins following two impeachments, the Capitol riot, and his felony charges, disbelief is giving way to a sense of crisis, with a growing consensus that the party's image is not just hurt but fundamentally broken.
Rep. Greg Casar, a progressive from the Democratic stronghold of Austin, articulated the need for “a new Democratic Party brand that brings in working-class people.” However, he cautioned against scapegoating immigrants for rising costs.
“Donald Trump lied and said that immigrants were to blame,” Casar stated. “The Democratic message moving forward needs to be house prices are up not because of immigrants, but because of Wall Street, and that your health care is worsening not because of immigrants, but because of Big Pharma.”
Key issues that previously rallied Democratic support during the Trump era, such as abortion rights and concerns about democracy, are now under scrutiny.
Rep. Susie Lee, who narrowly won a suburban Nevada district, noted that while abortion remains critical, there exists a “hierarchy of needs” when individuals struggle to make ends meet and provide for their families.
Democratic Rep. Chris Deluzio, who won a pivotal district in western Pennsylvania, observed that economic issues motivated voters across the spectrum, noting that while abortion rights energized the Democratic base, they weren’t always decisive.
“I’ve been talking about corporate power and its impact on how much you pay for stuff, how it hurts small businesses,” he said. “You’ve got to have a strong economic program to win.”
Many Democrats agree that while Trump has connected with working-class frustrations authentically, Democrats often come across as overly intellectual, leading to feelings of condescension among working-class voters.
“If we talk to people like we’re trying to win a Harvard Law Moot Court competition, we could have the best ideas in the world and it doesn’t resonate,” said Rep. Eric Swalwell.
Swalwell highlighted the effective, grounded campaign style employed by Rep. Ruben Gallego in Arizona, underscoring that it wasn’t merely a campaign tactic but a genuine integration into local culture.
Democrats are so unsettled by the recent outcomes that they are exploring unconventional avenues for solutions. In Nebraska, independent Senate candidate Dan Osborn may have lost but surpassed Harris by 14 percentage points. His ads critiqued “millionaires run by billionaires” and expressed support for Trump’s border wall.
Tommy McDonald, a strategist for Osborn and Democratic Sen. John Fetterman’s 2022 campaign, posited that Democrats should consider fielding more candidates who embody working-class experiences.
“A party based on championing and identifying with the working class can run and win everywhere,” he remarked. “A party based on championing and identifying with subgroups cannot win everywhere, and even does worse with the subgroups they rightfully champion.”
Yet, it’s important to note that Democrats recognized these issues prior to Trump’s re-election, and their efforts leading up to Harris’ defeat failed to mitigate impending losses. Jayapal reflected on her experience canvassing for Harris in battleground states, recalling voters expressing concerns about immigration while nostalgically recalling the stimulus checks distributed under Trump.
“I said to my team and my husband, ‘I’m not sure we’re gonna win this,’” she recounted. “It didn’t feel like voters were convinced. They didn’t feel it, didn’t feel like they believed that Harris was significantly better than Trump.”
In the end, not only did Trump win the Electoral College, as he did in 2016, but he also seems on track to capture the popular vote once all ballots are counted.
“With Hillary’s defeat, we said, the majority of us voted against that, and we felt like we could resist,” said Donna Brazile, former chair of the Democratic National Committee. This year, “the American people rejected normalcy, decency, morality and they chose Trump.”
She concluded, “Let’s sit with that.”
Frederick R Cook contributed to this report for TROIB News
In the wake of Kamala Harris' defeat, the breadth of the party's challenges is coming into sharp focus. The ongoing loss of working-class white voters, as seen in recent elections, is troubling enough. Now, new exit polls indicate that blue-collar Latinos and some Black men—once essential to the Democratic base—are also distancing themselves from the party, contributing to significant electoral setbacks. Republicans have gained ground in the Senate and are increasing their majority, while Democrats' chances to reclaim the House are dwindling. Moreover, Donald Trump recorded a landslide victory, marking a significant moment in modern political history.
“The Democratic Party needs to be rebuilt,” said Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. “We have become a party of elites, whether we abandoned working-class people, whether they abandoned us, whether it’s some combination of all of the above.”
In conversations with 16 elected officials, party leaders, and strategists, Democrats across the spectrum agree they have lost the ability to connect with the working class, which has long been a cornerstone of the party’s identity. However, opinions diverge regarding who is at fault and how the party should respond. Just as Trump's previous victories sparked intense debates within the party, his potential return to the White House is reigniting tensions between the party's progressive and moderate factions about the way forward.
Sen. Bernie Sanders initiated the latest discourse on Wednesday, stating on X that “it should come as no great surprise that a Democratic Party which has abandoned working class people would find that the working class has abandoned them.” In response, Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison dismissed Sanders’ comments as “straight up BS,” asserting that President Joe Biden is “the most-pro worker President of my lifetime.”
The upcoming fight over the next chair of the Democratic National Committee is among the first battlegrounds where the party’s future under a potential Trump presidency will be discussed. Some progressives are suggesting Wisconsin Democratic Party leader Ben Wikler as a candidate. Jayapal expressed her support for “somebody” like Wikler. Other rumored candidates include New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Minnesota Democratic Party Chair Ken Martin.
Nevertheless, an assessment of the situation following Tuesday’s election is crucial. Some moderate Democrats are attributing Harris’ losses among non-college-educated and lower-income voters to a party they feel has shifted too far left, citing issues like immigration reform, transgender rights, and abortion access as liabilities in critical areas.
Rep. Henry Cuellar, who secured a difficult victory in Texas border counties that went for Trump, emphasized that border issues significantly impact battleground House members. He noted a growing frustration among Latinos in his district regarding federal support for undocumented immigrants, which has manifested in recent voting patterns.
This year, “the dam busted here where all of a sudden people said enough is enough” and voted for Trump, Cuellar explained. “Some of us have been talking about border security for a long time.”
On the other hand, some progressive and populist Democrats felt a sense of validation, arguing that the party should have embraced a stronger economic message long ago. They contend that Harris' attempts to appeal to moderate Republicans were futile and that moderates have hindered progressive initiatives like the expanded child tax credit.
The Democratic Party has navigated crises before, notably after Hillary Clinton's loss in 2016. However, during that time, many within the party—along with some Republicans—downplayed Trump’s victory as lacking popular support. Now, with his reelection by even larger margins following two impeachments, the Capitol riot, and his felony charges, disbelief is giving way to a sense of crisis, with a growing consensus that the party's image is not just hurt but fundamentally broken.
Rep. Greg Casar, a progressive from the Democratic stronghold of Austin, articulated the need for “a new Democratic Party brand that brings in working-class people.” However, he cautioned against scapegoating immigrants for rising costs.
“Donald Trump lied and said that immigrants were to blame,” Casar stated. “The Democratic message moving forward needs to be house prices are up not because of immigrants, but because of Wall Street, and that your health care is worsening not because of immigrants, but because of Big Pharma.”
Key issues that previously rallied Democratic support during the Trump era, such as abortion rights and concerns about democracy, are now under scrutiny.
Rep. Susie Lee, who narrowly won a suburban Nevada district, noted that while abortion remains critical, there exists a “hierarchy of needs” when individuals struggle to make ends meet and provide for their families.
Democratic Rep. Chris Deluzio, who won a pivotal district in western Pennsylvania, observed that economic issues motivated voters across the spectrum, noting that while abortion rights energized the Democratic base, they weren’t always decisive.
“I’ve been talking about corporate power and its impact on how much you pay for stuff, how it hurts small businesses,” he said. “You’ve got to have a strong economic program to win.”
Many Democrats agree that while Trump has connected with working-class frustrations authentically, Democrats often come across as overly intellectual, leading to feelings of condescension among working-class voters.
“If we talk to people like we’re trying to win a Harvard Law Moot Court competition, we could have the best ideas in the world and it doesn’t resonate,” said Rep. Eric Swalwell.
Swalwell highlighted the effective, grounded campaign style employed by Rep. Ruben Gallego in Arizona, underscoring that it wasn’t merely a campaign tactic but a genuine integration into local culture.
Democrats are so unsettled by the recent outcomes that they are exploring unconventional avenues for solutions. In Nebraska, independent Senate candidate Dan Osborn may have lost but surpassed Harris by 14 percentage points. His ads critiqued “millionaires run by billionaires” and expressed support for Trump’s border wall.
Tommy McDonald, a strategist for Osborn and Democratic Sen. John Fetterman’s 2022 campaign, posited that Democrats should consider fielding more candidates who embody working-class experiences.
“A party based on championing and identifying with the working class can run and win everywhere,” he remarked. “A party based on championing and identifying with subgroups cannot win everywhere, and even does worse with the subgroups they rightfully champion.”
Yet, it’s important to note that Democrats recognized these issues prior to Trump’s re-election, and their efforts leading up to Harris’ defeat failed to mitigate impending losses. Jayapal reflected on her experience canvassing for Harris in battleground states, recalling voters expressing concerns about immigration while nostalgically recalling the stimulus checks distributed under Trump.
“I said to my team and my husband, ‘I’m not sure we’re gonna win this,’” she recounted. “It didn’t feel like voters were convinced. They didn’t feel it, didn’t feel like they believed that Harris was significantly better than Trump.”
In the end, not only did Trump win the Electoral College, as he did in 2016, but he also seems on track to capture the popular vote once all ballots are counted.
“With Hillary’s defeat, we said, the majority of us voted against that, and we felt like we could resist,” said Donna Brazile, former chair of the Democratic National Committee. This year, “the American people rejected normalcy, decency, morality and they chose Trump.”
She concluded, “Let’s sit with that.”
Frederick R Cook contributed to this report for TROIB News
