Democrats Regret Not Paying Sufficient Attention to the Working Class
The Democratic Party continues to search for a path forward following last week's significant loss.
TroibNews 
Five days post-election, Democrats continued to confront their challenging disconnect with working-class Americans on Sunday.
A handful of Democrats appearing on the Sunday talk shows provided some explanations, acknowledging that identity politics and an anti-Donald Trump platform fell short, and they also overlooked crucial issues such as the economy and border security.
“The reason we didn't win, ultimately, is we didn't listen enough to people on the ground,” Rep. Ro Khanna stated on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. He emphasized the importance of addressing economic struggles, referring to colleagues like Reps. Chris Deluzio and Pat Ryan, who had advocated for a focus on the economy.
There was a marked absence of high-profile Democrats on the Sunday morning programs, which instead featured those known for their intra-party critiques, including Khanna, who entered Congress by defeating an incumbent.
Rep. Dean Phillips, one of the few Democrats to challenge President Joe Biden in the primaries, acknowledged on Sunday that the party miscalculated by concentrating solely on defeating Trump.
“If that becomes our primary focus, we're going to lose perpetually because that's exactly, I think, what we've done wrong,” Phillips remarked during an interview with “Fox News Sunday.” He emphasized the need for a strategy that invites Trump supporters rather than condemns them.
Concurrently, Sen. Chris Murphy offered insights into the party's missteps, stating, “We don't listen enough; we tell people what's good for them.” He echoed Phillips by arguing for a more inclusive Democratic Party.
“Real economic populism should be our tentpole,” Murphy noted in a post on X, advocating for the inclusion of diverse perspectives within the party on various issues.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, who often critiques the Democratic Party from an outsider's perspective, wrote an op-ed for the Boston Globe on Sunday. He asserted that Democrats must choose between representing elites or the working class.
“In my view, the Democrats lost this election because they ignored the justified anger of working class America and became the defenders of a rigged economic and political system,” Sanders declared.
Reiterating his point on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Sanders highlighted the perception among working-class individuals that Democrats are no longer advocating for their interests. “Bottom line, if you're an average working person out there, do you really think that the Democratic Party is going to the mat, taking on powerful special interests and fighting for you?” he asked. “I think the overwhelming answer is no.”
Voter surveys and exit polls revealed that Donald Trump outperformed Kamala Harris among those with lower incomes and educational attainment. Among voters without a college degree, Trump garnered 59 percent to Harris's 40 percent, according to AP Votecast. Conversely, college graduates favored Harris, 56 percent to 42 percent.
Additionally, voters making $100,000 or more annually, constituting about a third of the electorate, preferred Harris by an 8-point margin, whereas those earning less leaned slightly toward Trump.
While he shared his thoughts on the need for Democrats to listen, Murphy also suggested that the dismissal of Sanders’ critiques may point to deeper issues within the party's coalition. “When progressives like Bernie aggressively go after the elites that hold people down, they are shunned as dangerous populists,” Murphy stated on X. “Why? Maybe because true economic populism is bad for our high-income base.”
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
A handful of Democrats appearing on the Sunday talk shows provided some explanations, acknowledging that identity politics and an anti-Donald Trump platform fell short, and they also overlooked crucial issues such as the economy and border security.
“The reason we didn't win, ultimately, is we didn't listen enough to people on the ground,” Rep. Ro Khanna stated on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. He emphasized the importance of addressing economic struggles, referring to colleagues like Reps. Chris Deluzio and Pat Ryan, who had advocated for a focus on the economy.
There was a marked absence of high-profile Democrats on the Sunday morning programs, which instead featured those known for their intra-party critiques, including Khanna, who entered Congress by defeating an incumbent.
Rep. Dean Phillips, one of the few Democrats to challenge President Joe Biden in the primaries, acknowledged on Sunday that the party miscalculated by concentrating solely on defeating Trump.
“If that becomes our primary focus, we're going to lose perpetually because that's exactly, I think, what we've done wrong,” Phillips remarked during an interview with “Fox News Sunday.” He emphasized the need for a strategy that invites Trump supporters rather than condemns them.
Concurrently, Sen. Chris Murphy offered insights into the party's missteps, stating, “We don't listen enough; we tell people what's good for them.” He echoed Phillips by arguing for a more inclusive Democratic Party.
“Real economic populism should be our tentpole,” Murphy noted in a post on X, advocating for the inclusion of diverse perspectives within the party on various issues.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, who often critiques the Democratic Party from an outsider's perspective, wrote an op-ed for the Boston Globe on Sunday. He asserted that Democrats must choose between representing elites or the working class.
“In my view, the Democrats lost this election because they ignored the justified anger of working class America and became the defenders of a rigged economic and political system,” Sanders declared.
Reiterating his point on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Sanders highlighted the perception among working-class individuals that Democrats are no longer advocating for their interests. “Bottom line, if you're an average working person out there, do you really think that the Democratic Party is going to the mat, taking on powerful special interests and fighting for you?” he asked. “I think the overwhelming answer is no.”
Voter surveys and exit polls revealed that Donald Trump outperformed Kamala Harris among those with lower incomes and educational attainment. Among voters without a college degree, Trump garnered 59 percent to Harris's 40 percent, according to AP Votecast. Conversely, college graduates favored Harris, 56 percent to 42 percent.
Additionally, voters making $100,000 or more annually, constituting about a third of the electorate, preferred Harris by an 8-point margin, whereas those earning less leaned slightly toward Trump.
While he shared his thoughts on the need for Democrats to listen, Murphy also suggested that the dismissal of Sanders’ critiques may point to deeper issues within the party's coalition. “When progressives like Bernie aggressively go after the elites that hold people down, they are shunned as dangerous populists,” Murphy stated on X. “Why? Maybe because true economic populism is bad for our high-income base.”
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
