As this historic 2024 political year comes to a close, many Democrats are crying in their eggnog. Not only did we fail to win back the House of Representatives, but we lost the Senate and frustratingly lost the White House again — and the popular vote. Three issues add to our tears as we enter 2025 in the political wilderness.
We are leaderless. During a presidential transition, there is one president — and that appears to be President-elect Donald Trump. From meeting with world leaders in France to his team negotiating to end wars and driving economic news, Trump is controlling and dominating news cycles. Conversely, Joe Biden is largely MIA, as is Kamala Harris, who reportedly is debating whether to run again for president in 2028, for governor of California in 2026, or exit politics.
Meanwhile, congressional leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries remain invisible, taking the temperature of colleagues and privately planning for next year. Then there are governors thinking about 2028, who want no public role in the party’s soul searching.
Democrats also have message and message-delivery problems. Whether reflecting on “woke” issues, debating if we are economically too liberal or too moderate, or being unsure how to address chaos foreign (Israel and Ukraine) and domestic (immigration and public safety), Democrats are uncertain of their message.
Equally concerning, in this last election cycle, Democrats were largely unable to engage with popular podcasts and influencers, many of whom knew their audiences were uncomfortable with Democratic positions. There was no hesitation in hosting Trump, who consistently engaged with them for the last four years. Audiences saw him as authentically sharing their values, a cornerstone of voter intensity and engagement.