It is no secret that the Democratic Party has a perception problem. Warranted or not, Kentuckians — and Americans in many parts of the country — just don’t trust Democrats to make their lives simpler, more affordable, or more secure. Broadly, they see us as out of touch with the daily struggles of working people, telling them what to think, feel, and be against, versus people they trust to be on their side and who will listen to their lived experience. Too often we’re seen as people who only show up when a vote is on the line. The result is loss after loss, even against deeply flawed candidates and campaigns.
If we want to rebuild trust with voters and truly serve the people, we must focus on four things: message, authenticity, actions, and resources. Think of these as the four wheels of a car—without all of them, we can’t move forward, or win.
First, message matters. Obviously. The Democratic Party must begin listening to — and boldly addressing — the frustrations of working-class Americans head-on. The 2024 election has laid bare an undeniable truth: working people of all stripes — white, Black, brown, young, old, etc. — are angry, and they have every reason to be. People can’t afford groceries, healthcare, or housing while CEO pay and corporate profits soar. They’re voting for candidates they believe at least “see” them and their struggle versus people they believe are talking at them or just reaching out because they need a vote.
Our message should be loud and clear up and down the ticket: The Democratic Party is the party that stands with working people, not corporate elites. We must boldly take on the power structures hurting regular people and confront America’s rigged system, where billionaires and corporations thrive while families live paycheck to paycheck. The anger so many Americans feel is not an isolated incident; it’s the result of decades-long policies that prioritize profits over people. We must make it unmistakable that our mission is to reform this system by raising wages, capping prescription drug prices, holding corporations accountable, and ensuring everyone has access to quality healthcare.
Democrats need a message rooted in economic populism that resonates with the daily lives and struggles of working people. We have to show we understand the problem while also explaining how we’re going to fix it.
But, to be clear, this cannot come at the expense of our other values. Equality, civil rights, and justice remain at the core of the party’s DNA, and these values are compatible and intertwined with an economic populist message—our core message that creates a solid foundation for a bigger tent.
Second, authenticity is essential. Not only must we have the right message, but we need the right messengers, too. We need to make sure we are running candidates who are of, by, and for their communities—people who can authentically speak to the message they’re campaigning on. This requires intentionality and often a bottom-up approach to candidate recruitment.
Third, we must meet people where they are and organize year-round. Our actions matter, on and off cycle, just as much as the message we’re delivering. Having the right message isn’t enough if we aren’t meeting people where they are ideologically, to make space for real conversations; and geographically, in physical spaces. It’s how and when we show up, and how we organize to listen, build trust, and bring people along with us, that is the key to building back from the ground up.
Finally, we must better organize money. We have to have resources to communicate at scale if we’re going to burn in a brand with voters. To secure the resources needed to compete, we must utilize every tool to help our candidates get out their message. This means not only funding campaigns, but also the party, caucus programs, and related organizations that bolster grassroots candidates’ messages and activate key coalition elements.
We must be mindful of the money we accept, too. We can’t, on one hand, tell voters we want to reform the healthcare system and, on the other, take money from corporations that put profits over patient care. We can’t claim to be on the side of working people and take money from payday lenders. The list goes on.
I don’t believe I have all the answers. But I know we need to get back to basics and understand there isn’t an easy answer to the situation we’re in. There isn’t a “we just have to do this one thing” prescription. We have to do it all— focus on message, authenticity, our actions on and off cycle, and raising resources—if we want to win again all over the map.
Together, we can do this. We can get back to basics and build toward a Commonwealth that truly works for everyone.
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Written by Kelsey Hayes Coots, who is co-founder and principal of Blue Dot Consulting, a leading Democratic consulting firm dedicated to helping candidates, caucuses, and causes. She most recently was the campaign manager for Protect Our Schools KY in the successful defeat of Amendment 2. She was born and raised in Owensboro and is now living in Louisville with her husband, and 2 daughters. Cross-posted from Link NKY.
