Abandoning the Base: How Ideological Litmus Tests Are Turning States Red

Analysis: The Democratic Party’s steady retreat from Michigan should serve as a cautionary tale of what happens when party leadership ignores its base. In 2016, Bernie Sanders won the Michigan primary in an upset over Hillary Clinton—an early warning sign of discontent that went largely unheeded. Sanders’ populist platform, focused on trade and economic fairness, resonated with Michiganders weary of the status quo. His win highlighted the disconnect between the party leadership and working-class voters, yet the DNC largely ignored it and continues to do so.

In 2016, while working for the DNC, I saw firsthand how badly Democrats underestimated Michigan voters. On a bus tour, several members of Congress warned that the party was losing ground across the state and pleaded for more support. Their concerns were dismissed, with the DNC claiming they were “all set.” The result was clear: Trump won Michigan, transforming a historically blue state into a battleground.

Analysis: Because Kamala Harris and Joe Biden cannot function coherently in an unscripted environment anywhere near the press or public, it begs the question of who or what is running the current administration. Even Democrat Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz told rally goers in Pennsylvania Saturday “we can’t afford four more years of this” prompting a title wave of agreement by many around kitchen tables, but what do the numbers really show?