When are America's Democrats finally going to present their own 'MAGA'?

People take part in the ‘Make Billionaires Pay’ climate march and rally in New York City on September 20. Reuters

For too many years now, America’s Democratic party has focused on winning elections by appealing to what it has termed its “base” (young, black, Latino, Asian and educated women voters). At the same time, it has largely abandoned white working-class voters to Republicans – one reason why Democrats have lost too many recent federal and local elections across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic American states.

As we look at data from the 2020 and 2024 elections, it appears that in addition to paying a price for writing off white working-class voters, Democrats are now in danger of losing portions of what they still consider “base” constituencies as well. Between those two federal elections, the percentages of black, Latino and Asian voters who voted with Democrats have declined. Given that the party spent so much money targeting these voters, this drop in support is a worrisome sign they must address.

The question is how to address it. What Democrats usually do is focus their messaging on poll-tested issues unique to each group. Depending on the year, it might be some concern with civil rights or police brutality for black voters. For Latinos, it might be immigration reform, including what do about the “undocumented”. While in their appeal to Asian Americans, matters related to discrimination and immigration loom large.

There are several concerns with this approach. In the first place, it ignores the complexity of each of these groups. Among multi-generational Asian and Latino communities, some are descendants of immigrants who have been in the US for hundreds of years, while others are more recent arrivals, some escaping persecution and requesting asylum. Then there is the diversity of their countries of origin. Asian Americans may hail from Japan, China, Pakistan, India or Vietnam, while Latinos might come from Cuba, Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic, or Central or South America. The black community should also not be stereotyped. It, too, is diverse, with differences based on class and, too often ignored, the fact that about 20 per cent of black Americans are immigrants from a number of African or Caribbean nations.

With this in mind, I accepted an invitation to address an Asian American conference on the issues in the 2026 election. Having given this matter some thought, I deliberately did not prepare an “Asian” speech. I recalled a story I’ve told before about an Arab American-hosted 2004 Democratic candidates’ forum. Before he was to speak, one candidate – a leader in the polls at that time – came to me and said, “Here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to start by addressing jobs, health care, social security and education. Then, I’ll talk about your community’s issues.”

I responded, “With all due respect, sir, Arab Americans need good jobs, get sick, get old and want to see their kids get a quality education. Those are our issues. And if by ‘my community’s issues’ you mean the war in Iraq and Palestine-Israel peace, those are issues for all Americans, not just Arab Americans.”

In addition to white working-class voters, Democrats are now in danger of losing portions of what they consider “base” constituencies

I, therefore, framed my remarks to this Asian American conference first by telling them about the history of Arab immigration to the US, the problems we encountered and the successes we’ve achieved. I then spoke to the concerns we share with all other immigrant communities and the ways in which the very values that brought our diverse peoples to this country are being eroded by bigotry and repression. I concluded by reminding them that the message of the Statue of Liberty – “give me your tired and poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free” – which was once a promise but has now become a challenge. That is what’s at stake in 2026.

The point I was making then and am still making now is one that too many Democratic leaders don’t understand. Candidates might get applause from groups by touching their “hot-button” concerns. But what ultimately wins elections is the ability of a candidate and a party to project a simple overarching theme that resonates with voters across racial, ethnic and regional lines. Republicans have long been much better at this. For example, during the Reagan era, if you asked a Republican what they stood for, they would respond: “Smaller government, fewer taxes.” But if you asked a Democrat what they stood for, they’d point to a near endless litany of causes – something like the old guy at a peace march with dozens of buttons on his chest – and leave it to you to figure out the connecting theme.

Donald Trump has clearly moved away from the Reagan mantra but has substituted his own: “Make America Great Again”. This expression conveys multiple issues and layers of meaning: economic protectionism, anti-immigration, disengagement from foreign “entanglements” and a rejection of cultural change coupled with a return to “traditional values”. It’s true that much of this is grounded in bigotry and hypocrisy, and is destined for failure. But it’s also true that it resonates with and inspires many voters.

It’s not that Democrats haven’t developed captivating “bumper stickers” that capture the essence of their message in a phase or word that tie together voters from across the electorate. Franklin Roosevelt had the “New Deal”. Jimmy Carter projected a “return to decency”. Bill Clinton was “building a bridge to the 21st century”. For Barack Obama, it was one word: “Hope”.

The question for Democrats today is how will you answer when asked: “What are you for?” Will they be the old guy pointing at all his buttons, or the consultant-driven candidate targeting issues for each group? They need to have an answer that speaks to all groups and inspires them.