While the stakes in the recent election campaign were as high as they have ever been for our country’s future, the Democratic Party failed to earn the public's trust — that foundation of our democracy’s survival.
We are now obliged to swallow the bitter pill of defeat with humility and honesty. Sulking, pointing fingers, engaging in public blame games will only make things worse. But what to do?
It’s not rocket science. The best governance practice of institutions seeking to improve performance and accountability is to conduct periodic self-evaluations of policies, proposals, communication, messaging etc. and to adopt changes as needed.
For a political party striving to better represent the public by earning and maintaining its respect and trust, the need for such an exercise seems obvious, timely and imperative. Earning trust begins with asking tough questions, such as, "How did things go so wrong?"
"What did we miss? Why the backlash? How did our 'party for working families' become viewed as elitist, tone deaf or indifferent to their needs?
"Why do we hear: 'I didn’t leave the Democrats; your party left me!'? How can we more fairly prioritize or reconcile wealth inequality between regions; disparity of family household affordability between classes; meeting expectations of specific constituencies within a diverse national citizenry; cultural issues etc.
The list could go on and on.
Maintaining trust means heeding our own honest answers and, importantly, those of concerned stakeholders and constituents. The Democratic Party faces that very obligation and opportunity in the coming weeks. A new chair of the Democratic National Committee will be chosen in February, not by appointment but by vote of a majority of more than 450 DNC members. The new chair will become the party's titular standard bearer. It’s too early to know who the candidates will be, but it’s not too early to suggest that all competing candidates pledge to adopt the following process if elected.
The DNC is made up of four regional caucuses. Swallowing the bitter pill of defeat should include conducting listening sessions beyond the “Beltway bubble” in each of the regions. We should listen to constructive suggestions from committee members and elected officials and welcome civil and candid criticism from constituents who turned away from our party on Nov. 5.
This will be an important first step on a positive path toward the looming 2026 mid-term elections. Reviewing exit polls and consultants’ post-election power point presentations at party headquarters is helpful homework. But convening elected and party officials to hear the voices of the disaffected in their own region is a demonstration of strong but sensitive proactive leadership, restorative optics and smart politics.
In addition, the DNC secretary’s office should be charged with launching a proprietary channel of the “new media” for the party’s outreach to and constructive feedback from a larger audience.
The next chair will not be constrained by pressures from an incumbent White House political team. He or she will be elected to exercise relatively independent judgment and leadership on behalf of a diverse, elected national membership to improve the image, “brand” and communication of a party determined to better serve and represent America.
Experience teaches:” One never gets a second chance to make a first impression.”
The obligation and opportunity of the 2025 Democratic Party’s awaits.
Onward!
Paul Kirk, Jr. served as a Democratic U.S. senator from Massachusetts from 2009 to 2010.
