My Democratic Party Wish List

2028, so close yet so far

In proportional representation and parliamentary systems, parties are free to compartmentalize to a great degree. This is because governing coalitions (assuming no single party receives a majority) form after the results of the election are final. This allows the broader left, broader right, single-issue movements, and idiosyncratic movements to organize independently on tailored and internally agreed platforms. Sure, internal members of various parties in parliamentary/proportional systems have their internal debates, but it’s nothing quite like the U.S. In the U.S., we have, by structure, exactly two viable options for almost every election: Democrats or Republicans. The Democrats represent a spectrum of centrists to Democratic Socialists, and the Republicans represent centrists to right-wing nationalists. The Democratic Party and its leaders are no strangers to criticism and internal strife, but after the devastating results in 2024, it’s worth doing some recalibrating.

As a lifelong member of the left and the Democratic Party, I’ll throw in my two cents. I’ll talk about my 'must-haves' and 'nice-to-haves' in Democratic candidates in the next four years. Not every situation/election is exactly the same, but these are some guiding metrics that I will use to judge candidates in Democratic primaries.

My Must-Haves

My must-haves are things required by any Democratic candidate in order to receive my vote/support, for without these things they are committing either a major strategic, policy, or moral failure. In the general election, I’m sure I would support most any Democratic nominee, but I’m going to be choosy in the primary.

Number 1: A Democratic nominee must be willing to engage with alternative media spaces.

Democrats in 2024 (and well before that) failed to engage with alternative media spaces to their great detriment. Joe Rogan, Lex Fridman, Patrick Bet-David, etc. might be unsavory figures to members of the left, but they control huge platforms with which millions of people engage. The alternative media space remains largely untapped by major contemporary Democrats, but it’s not just important to engage in oppositional alternative media. It’s also important to engage in left-wing alternative media spaces both to take advantage of free advertising and contribute to the rise of left-wing alternative media ecosystems. Traditional media is dying, and Democrats must maneuver in a new field of play, so if I see a Democratic candidate have a basic social media presence combined with 5 minutes on traditional news media each week, it’s a no from me. Take every interview you’re offered, and spread your message as widely and aggressively as possible.

Number 2: A Democratic nominee must be on offense nearly 100% of the time.

Democrats find themselves tripped up on culture-war issues. I don’t think Democrats were ‘too focused’ on culture war issues as a matter of platform in 2024, but they allowed Republicans to aggressively set the narrative on a wide array of issues from schools to immigration to inflation. Democrats are now in the opposition, and Republicans are in government. Republicans own the material and cultural conditions of our time in the next four years, and if a Democratic candidate centers most of their messaging on acquiescence and non-confrontation, it’s a no from me. Democrats must force Republicans to own the consequences of their policies. It’s a noun, a verb, and Republicans are making your life harder.

Number 3: A Democratic nominee must offer bold, broad-based, and simple policy messaging.

The Harris campaign in 2024 made a strategic error by messaging on a skinny platform. For example, the Harris campaign messaged on building three million new homes. That is lower than the current trend of housing construction. Some argued this would be ‘on top’ of the current trend, but even so, this represents a trivial percentage increase in housing supply. Not only could smart housing policy bring significantly higher housing construction, it would also allow for a bolder message. Taxing unrealized capital gains on wealth over $100 million, expanding Medicare to home care for the elderly, engaging in anti-trust action against food supply chain bottlenecks, etc. are all policies and messaging appealing to the narrow few and policy wonks of the world. Democrats need to adopt simple, broad-based policies. Medicare for all, building 20 million new homes, taxing the rich, rooting out corruption, etc. are simple messages that appeal to most and don’t force candidates into weedy discussions about policy that bore most everyday people.

Number 4: A Democratic nominee must engage in anti-establishment rhetoric and the public must view them as anti-establishment.

The establishment is unpopular. The rise of the progressive and Democratic Socialist left, along with MAGA, are both anti-establishment movements. What’s interesting is there are nuggets of experiences and data that point to a potential overlap between these two groups. Senator Andy Kim, elected in 2024, shared his experience with Trump/Kim voters, where they expressed that they viewed Kim and Trump both as alternatives to the establishment. A Hispanic-majority precinct (029/39) in AOC’s district voted +5pts for Trump (50/45) while at the same time voting +24pts for AOC (57/33). There isn't much ideological overlap between the Trump and AOC, and yet voters felt an aligned interest in the pairing. I would argue this alignment comes from a desire for clear-cut, biting alternatives to the establishment. It’s important to point out: I’m not delusional on this point. I don’t think the overwhelming majority of MAGA voters are progressives in waiting, but there does appear to be meaningful room at the margin

It’s also worth noting that AOC and Andy Kim themselves do not occupy the same space within the Democratic Party. Many consider Kim much more moderate than AOC, yet they have a similar appeal to Trump voters. This means any Democratic candidate must make efforts to distance themselves from the establishment through, at the very least, anti-corruption efforts, biting rhetoric, and a willingness to criticize party leadership.

My Nice-to-Haves

My nice-to-haves are things that are optional for any Democratic candidate in order to receive my vote/support, but they would be good to have from a strategic, policy, moral, and/or personal perspective.

Number 1: A Democratic nominee should maintain a progressive message and platform.

I’m afraid Democratic candidates learned from 2024 that in order to win they need to abandon underserved and/or marginalized communities. This is a mistake for two main reasons: 1) The Democratic Party is a coalition of leftists and centrists, and we’re more likely to risk leftist support from an uninspired, more conservative, platform and messaging strategy than we are to risk centrist support running on things like Medicare for All. 2) On many issues, it is simply the right thing to do. Immigrant, LGBTQ+, lower-income communities, etc. are all under attack by Republican administrations high and low across the country, and it irks me to see so many Democrats willing to step back from a forceful defense of these marginalized communities.

Number 2: A Democratic nominee should reject corporate and PAC donations.

In support of the fourth ‘must-have’, it’s important to attack the donor class and the influence of money in politics. In times of high and rising income and wealth inequality, people are angry, and messaging against money in politics seems uniformly popular amongst everyday people. People don’t like it when politicians take millions of dollars in donations from the wealthy and large corporations because they understand peddling influence. This is risky because it limits the fundraising capacity of candidates, but when it comes to federal races, it appears quite possible for progressive candidates to raise sufficient funds while only accepting individual contributions. It’s effective messaging, and it’s the right thing to do.

Number 3: A Democratic nominee must behave like a normal, genuine person (please god).

Candidates have an authenticity problem. While it’s true that Donald Trump is a lunatic, a substantial portion of the country finds him genuine. Politicians are rather allergic to being genuine because they get the advice that one should present themselves in a certain way. In order to be successful, over time, you must speak a certain way, carry yourself a certain way, dress a certain way, etc. This accumulation of ‘rules’ over time has led to establishment politicians feeling more machine than man. Pressed suits, permanent ear-to-ear grins, canned lines, statements where the vaguer they are the better, etc. all lead to people feeling like they fundamentally cannot trust politicians, and I can’t blame them. Trump, albeit insane, is not playing a character. Democrats need to loosen up, and no, this doesn’t mean you should live stream your trip to the dentist, overplay your love of beer, or pretend you always carry around a bottle of hot sauce. Be yourself. If that means showing off your coin collection, appearing on a podcast talking about a TV show you like, or being the grouchy old man you really are, go for it. People might not like or engage with your individual tastes or peculiarities, but that’s part of being genuine.

Closing Thoughts

These aren’t necessarily fixed rules or preferences for all-time, but I think these things would help Democrats win all else equal in this moment. Democrats proved in 2024 their messaging and position in the race were not right for the moment. The things I’ve outlined strike a balance between recognizing the issues with Democrats in 2024 while maintaining our progressive values. Despite this, most election outcomes are based primarily on the macro-environment which candidates, especially in opposition, don’t necessarily control. The environment itself could be so favorable than anyone with ‘Democrat’ next to their name can win, and the environment could be so poor for Democrats that even the most perfect candidate could lose. Local elections in New York, Virginia, New Jersey, and Kentucky offer some initial test data for Democrats in 2025, and I look forward to seeing them playout.