LIZ PEEK: Democrats' identity crisis shows no sign of getting better. It's actually getting worse
As reported by The Hill, a survey conducted between May and June by Unite the Country showed voters perceive the Democratic Party as "out of touch," "woke" and "weak." Worse, perceptions and confidence in the party have actually soured since last year's election, when Democrats not only lost the presidency, but also the Senate and the House. Democrat support from White men, Hispanic men and working-class voters in general has collapsed to below 35%.
The poll is especially worrisome for Democrats in that it surveyed voters across 21 swing counties in 10 battleground states – the regions which will determine the outcomes of future elections.
What can Democrats do to turn their prospects around? For starters, according to the survey, find new leaders who will talk about issues that matter to people, and particularly economic issues. Also, get back to common sense, which the party has rejected.
Can anyone be surprised by these findings? After all, Democrats with unerring aim find themselves on the wrong side of almost every issue. Biological boys competing in girls' sports? Check. Open borders? Check. Opposing school choice? Check.
Most recently, Democrats rallied in support of Glass House marijuana farms in California which were raided by ICE, even though the facility employed hundreds of people in the country illegally, including at least 10 children. Among the 361 illegals caught were criminals reportedly convicted for rape, kidnapping, burglary, hit and run, and DUI. Also detained were more than a dozen children, including one who is 14 years old, raising concerns about child trafficking.
As ICE agents descended on the farm, they came under vicious assault from immigration activists and protesters.
California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who was laying the groundwork in South Carolina for a presidential run when the riots broke out at the pot facility, posted this on X: "Instead of supporting the businesses and workers that drive our economy and way of life, Stephen Miller's tactics evoke chaos, fear and terror within our communities at every turn," speaking of the White House deputy chief of staff for policy and United States homeland security adviser. Californians were likely surprised to hear their "way of life" depended on illegal underage labor.
Washington state's Democratic Rep. Pramilla Jayapal has accused ICE officers of acting "like a terrorist force" while Gov. Tim Walz smeared ICE agents as the "modern-day Gestapo." Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson describes ICE agents as "secret police" and says they're "terrorizing our communities." Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, New York Congressmen Jerry Nadler and Dan Goldman and many others have condemned ICE workers. The upshot of this reckless vitriol is that ICE agents have suffered a 700% increase in violent assaults even as they work to protect our communities.
Democrats should note that in last year's election, voters turned out to elect Donald Trump, who vowed not only to secure our border but also to deport people in this country illegally. Reflexively opposing Trump in this ambition is also to oppose the will of American citizens.
Last month, a CBS News/YouGov poll showed a majority of the country supports President Trump's deportation program, and a plurality thinks the effort is making the country safer. Other polls have indicated overwhelming support for deporting criminals.
It isn't just President Trump's immigration policies that Democrats oppose; it's every move he makes. That brings them, for instance, to vote for a $4 trillion tax hike, which would have clobbered our economy. Even billionaire Democrat Mark Cuban is appalled by his party, noting on a recent podcast that Democrats' only plan of action is to complain about the president. "That's the underlying thought of everything the Democrats dot," Cuban said, "Trump sucks." As he said, "That's not the way to win. It's just not."
While the current disarray in the Democratic Party is heartening for Republicans, it carries risks not only for the GOP but, more importantly, for the country. Searching for new leadership and new ideas could well encourage the rise of the likes of Zohran Mamdani the Democratic Socialist now leading the mayoral race in New York.
Mamdani has burst on the scene promising to deliver free bus rides, free childcare, cheaper food via government-run grocery stores and cheaper housing via rent caps. None of it is real, but for hard-up voters searching for candidates who offer new ideas, the pitch resonates.
Shamefully, leading Democratic Representatives like Jerry Nadler and Adriano Espaillat have endorsed this fraud who pretends to have working-class roots and to despise billionaires, even as his campaign is funded by the very rich and he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Mamdani is a big champion of public schools but attended pricey private schools and an expensive liberal arts college.
Worse, Mamdani, who is Muslim, is openly anti-Israel and widely viewed as antisemitic. How can a candidate who has called to "globalize the intifada" lead a city that is home to 1.3 million Jews – the largest Jewish population outside Israel? Is anyone paying attention?
Establishment Democrats are scared to death of Mamdani and his fanatical Democratic Socialist supporters, who have threatened to primary any who stand in their way. Millions of dollars are flowing from billionaire George Soros' son Alex to promote this candidate who rails against the wealthy and to challenge his opponents.
This is a test for today's Democrats. If they follow Mamdani down his Socialist (President Trump and others say Communist) path and allow the 33-year-old snake-oil salesman to become the face of the next generation, they will further shrink their popularity. Most Americans, outside the coastal elites responsible for so much misfortune for Democrats, disagree with Mamdani's leftist policies and will increasingly disengage from a party that celebrates him.
If not, we are all in trouble.
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