Community leaders and organisers express frustration with the Democratic Party's current trajectory, questioning its capacity to address core issues impacting everyday Americans. Many feel exhausted from attempting to steer the party away from self-destructive tendencies. This discontent emerges from the Democratic leadership's perceived negligence of pivotal concerns, such as widespread anger over the Biden administration's support for Israel's war in Gaza. A YouGov poll underscores this sentiment, revealing that 29% of voters who supported Biden in 2020 chose not to back Harris last year, citing the Gaza conflict as a primary reason.
The Harris campaign has primarily focused on portraying Donald Trump as unfit for office, targeting the middle-class white female demographic, particularly concerning abortion rights. However, this approach appears to alienate significant segments of the Democratic base. Community leaders in economically challenged areas like Saginaw warn that Harris's strategy overlooks the pressing economic needs of their constituents. Indeed, 24% of respondents cited economic policy dissatisfaction as a reason for their disillusionment with the Democratic Party.
"We already fought the race of women’s rights. What we missed were the table top issues that people were dealing with. They couldn’t afford to go into the grocery store, can’t buy food, trying to make ends meet." – Oriedo
The Democratic Party's reliance on polling rather than policy has contributed to a disconnect between national leadership and grassroots concerns. Critics argue that the party has established a standard wherein if Donald Trump does not visibly jeopardise democracy, they assume their strategy is correct. This mentality suggests a lack of principles, where winning relies on following polls rather than making substantive promises.
"The national party has made it so that they’ve set up a standard where if Donald Trump doesn’t literally ruin democracy in a very visible way that people feel, then they’re proven wrong." – Hammond
In places like Saginaw, Michigan, there is a growing realization of an impending generational political realignment. Pat Parker, a clinical social worker and committed Democrat, has been at the forefront of advocating for change within the party's electoral strategies. Parker has worked tirelessly to amplify local voices by convening neglected groups, including Black community leaders, trade unions, and local party activists.
"We were screaming locally at the Harris campaign: ‘This isn’t working. We’re putting a lot of energy in, and there’s something off.’" – Parker
Despite attempts to shift focus, the Harris campaign dedicated substantial resources to attacking Trump as a criminal figurehead linked to Project 2025. However, these efforts seem misplaced in Michigan, where abortion rights hold less significance due to a 2022 amendment safeguarding access.
"It cost her votes. We were trying to tell her that." – Parker
Community leaders have voiced concern over the disconnect between national policy decisions and local needs. O’Neal, a seasoned politician, noted the lack of communication from national leaders and emphasized the potential impact of engaging local advocates early on.
"The policy was decided nationally. I’ve been in politics for over 20 years and I didn’t get much communication from them." – O’Neal
"Just using myself, for example, I could have been much more impactful. Had I been engaged early, I could have been out and been a voice and advocating for the message," – O’Neal
The consultant-driven approach that assumes a formulaic candidate can succeed overlooks the nuances of voter sentiment. Hammond pointed out that this strategy does not account for the individuality of voters and their expectations from political candidates.
"The problem is that the consultant class has led every politician to believe that if they just have the right formula, they can put in any candidate, churn them through the machine, and people will vote for that candidate. And that’s not true," – Hammond