After losing the White House once more to President-elect Trump, progressives within the Democratic Party are deeply divided on how to refine their message to voters moving forward. While there is consensus that change is necessary, there’s little agreement on the best approach to regain momentum.
The recent electoral setback has proven that the current strategy no longer resonates with voters, as evidenced by Trump’s victory and the GOP’s solid grip on Congress. Yet, how to address this failure and rebuild the party is still up for debate.
Some progressives argue that the key to future success lies in economic populism. They advocate focusing on the struggles of the working class across all demographics, believing that if Democrats emphasize economic issues over cultural battles, they will be more successful in reaching a broader swath of voters. According to this camp, this approach could offer a path forward for the party to regain support.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez signals a shift in messaging while maintaining her progressive roots
On the other hand, another group of progressives believes that the party should maintain a broad set of priorities, balancing identity politics with efforts to protect democracy and pursue economic equality. They argue that addressing all these concerns simultaneously will create a more inclusive and effective vision for the future.
Pete D’Alessandro, a former senior campaign aide to Senator Bernie Sanders, is among those who believe that economic populism could be a winning strategy. He points out that focusing on working-class issues should be a core element of the Democratic platform, acknowledging the intersectionality of class and identity.
Despite common ground on many issues, tensions have begun to surface regarding which priorities should take precedence. The debate over this issue is expected to intensify as Trump is sworn into office and Democrats work to restructure their approach in anticipation of their time in the minority.
Progressives who align with Sanders are particularly focused on assessing the reasons behind their party’s defeat. A grassroots group that formed after Sanders’s first presidential campaign, Our Revolution, conducted a poll of 12,000 progressives, revealing that 91% believed the Democratic Party had long neglected the multiracial working class.
According to their findings, the party’s failure to connect with working people, the abrupt switch from Biden to Harris, and the campaign’s focus on Republicans and celebrities were all factors in the loss.
In the wake of Harris’s defeat, Sanders has been working to redirect the conversation toward economic inequality, emphasizing the role of class struggles in Trump’s victory. He’s been making his case in major media outlets, urging Democrats to center their platform on working-class issues.
Sanders also emphasizes that identity and class are intrinsically linked, highlighting that the working class in the U.S. is disproportionately composed of African Americans, Latinos, and women. He advocates for a dual approach that addresses both economic inequality and social justice issues, suggesting that this strategy would resonate with voters and help the party win elections.
The Sanders wing, which is actively searching for younger leadership, also rejects the notion that Trump’s supporters are solely motivated by prejudice. Sanders points out that many of Trump’s voters are working-class individuals who have felt neglected by the Democratic Party. He insists that the party needs to offer a clear economic message to appeal to these voters.
Stevie O’Hanlon, communications director for the Sunrise Movement, argues that Democrats have failed to present themselves as the party of the working class. She notes that for the first time in years, the Democratic nominee lost voters from households making under $100,000, a trend that has allowed Trump to position himself as the champion of the working and middle class.
While Sanders is pushing this economic populist message, other progressives have tailored their approach to fit their own personal brands. For instance, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently removed her pronouns from her bio on X (formerly Twitter), a small but shift in her messaging.
This move contrasts with the broader trend among Capitol Hill progressives, many of whom have embraced the use of pronouns as a way to signal inclusivity for gender and LGBTQ+ communities. These issues are seen as central to the Democratic Party’s identity and its contrast with the GOP.
Despite their electoral losses, progressives can point to a victory of sorts with the election of Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender member of Congress. McBride, who ran in Delaware’s diverse and competitive congressional district, emphasizes the importance of addressing economic issues while recognizing the struggles of marginalized communities.
Elizabeth Warren pushes for judicial reforms to safeguard democracy under a potential Trump administration
McBride’s perspective aligns with the broader progressive belief that when people face economic hardship, they often turn to scapegoating, which has been exploited by Trump and other far-right figures. O’Hanlon argues that Democrats need to respond to these attacks and demonstrate their commitment to fighting for the working class, emphasizing economic issues rather than identity politics alone.
While many progressives focus on economic populism, others are already looking to the future under a potential Trump administration. They are particularly concerned with the state of the judicial system and the need to safeguard democracy before Trump takes office. Senator Elizabeth Warren has been vocal about the need for Democrats to strengthen legal protections and confirm judicial appointments while they still have the Senate majority.
Warren’s position reflects a broader concern among some progressives about protecting the foundations of democracy in the face of Republican power. She has emphasized the need for Democrats to prioritize judicial appointments and legal reforms that can outlast a potential Trump presidency.
Warren’s Progressive Change Campaign Committee has been advocating for protecting democracy through a petition supporting key legal structures. Warren, who is expected to take on a more prominent role as the leader of the Senate minority, has vowed to continue fighting for working families while focusing on strengthening legal and political protections.
The growing divide within the progressive movement has led to debates over how best to address income inequality and corporate influence. While some progressives advocate for focusing on working-class issues, others prioritize democratic reforms and cultural issues.
Despite their differences, all sides agree on the importance of challenging the concentration of wealth and the dominance of corporate power in the political system. However, the challenge lies in finding a way to balance these competing priorities and present a unified vision to voters.
For Pete D’Alessandro, the key issue is not the differences in rhetoric or focus, but the risk that the progressive agenda could be sidelined by more centrist voices. He warns that if progressives continue to bicker over tactics, they risk giving space for corporate Democrats to dominate the conversation and shift the party further to the right.
