It is going to take time for definitive reasons for the Democrats’ loss of this Presidential election to become clear and full reporting on how voter demographics broke down across Congressional Districts, States and regions. The Democrats have already begun to question how this loss could have occurred and how to recover. I hope their arguments are sharp and lengthy and honest. No issue or approach highlighted during this campaign season should be spared a searching, no holds barred analysis.
Some answers have already emerged – Democrats down ballot of VP Harris in heavy Trump territory did better than her, in some cases much better. I want to know what those winners did that caused Trump voters to split their ballots and vote for them. I want to hear from them first, from people like Maria Gluesenkamp Perez who won in a Red District.
I do not want to hear much from the Clintons or the Obamas or Chuck Schumer or Nancy Pelosi (who I love). Their time is finished. I do not want to listen to any more soaring rhetoric from anyone. No more fucking kumbaya. I do not care what celebrities think about any of this. I want to hear from people in the trenches. I want to hear from ordinary voters of every kind, type and persuasion.
I have no idea who will emerge in 4 years to capture the Presidential nomination for the Party. It is a waste of energy to argue about it. It may well be someone whose name most of us would not recognize today. However, I know what I want in a nominee. I want someone who will fight, who will fight for 3 hours on Joe Rogan and on Fox, someone who can clearly articulate a Democratic vision of America for voters across the board and not one simply tailored to interest groups or segments of the Democratic coalition.
The coalition is fracturing. It is bleeding voters. The Party must adapt. It must figure out exactly what its most basic issues are and then, on those issues, give no quarter. Fight like the life of the nation depends upon it. It may.
