The Democratic Party is facing a crisis not seen in decades as it headed into a summer meeting to discuss ways to push back against President Donald Trump while also attempting to appeal to a broader group of Americans.
“I think the greatest divide right now in our party, frankly, is not ideological,” Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin told The Associated Press. “The greatest divide is those people who are standing up and fighting and those who are sitting on the sidelines.”
“We’re using every single lever of power we have to take the fight to Donald Trump,” he said of the DNC.
As hundreds of Democratic officials convene Monday in Minneapolis — the hometown of newly elected DNC Chair — signs suggest that Martin’s and his party’s battles may extend far beyond the current occupant of the Oval Office.
Major Democratic donors have grown dissatisfied with the party’s direction and have slowed their contributions. Internal divisions persist over issues such as the Israel-Hamas war, while the party’s overall message remains unclear. At the same time, key segments of its base — including working-class voters and young people — have shown signs of drifting away, with many voting Republican and for Trump.
There is also mounting frustration that, under Martin’s leadership, Democrats are not doing enough to counter the Republican president, despite his combative rhetoric, the Associated Press added.
“There are no magic fixes,” said Jeanna Repass, the chair of the Kansas Democratic Party, who praised Martin’s performance so far. “He is trying to lead at a time where everyone wants it to be fixed right now. And it’s just not going to happen.”
At this week’s three-day summer meeting, Democratic National Committee officials are aiming to counter the wave of pessimism and frustration that has gripped the party since Republicans captured the White House and Congress last fall. Achieving that goal, however, is expected to be a difficult task.
The latest federal filings show the Democratic National Committee ended July with $14 million in cash on hand, compared to $84 million reported by the Republican National Committee. For Democrats, the figure marks their lowest cash reserve in at least five years.
Also, the party is bleeding voters, as millions who used to identify as Democrats no longer do so. Republicans, meanwhile, have been gaining registered voters in nearly all parts of the country, further adding to Democrats’ woes.
