Democrats have a race problem. It's not what they think.


Democrats are approaching panic. Frustrated by congressional wrangling and sagging presidential approval, the party is looking to reverse a trend that points toward heavy losses in 2022 and perhaps 2024, when former President Donald Trump seems likely to mount another bid for the White House.
Political analyst David Shor has an answer. Along with other "popularists," he argues Democrats should emphasize the best-polling parts of their agenda — like expanded healthcare benefits — and downplay culture war flashpoints.
These arguments have gotten a lot of attention in the media, where profiles of genius strategists are a popular genre. But they're viewed with suspicion by progressive activists, who see them as catering to mostly older, white, suburban swing constituencies at the expense of Democrats' core constituencies, including minorities and young voters.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
As a matter of strategy, this objection makes little sense. Politics is about winning votes you don't already have, not just holding onto those you do. As Shor points out, that's particularly important to realize in the U.S. electoral system. Democrats run up huge majorities in the most densely settled areas but struggle in the less urbanized states they need for success in the Electoral College and Senate. That may not be fair according to strict majoritarian logic, but it's the reality. If Democrats want to win, there's little alternative to "pandering" to marginal voters.
But that doesn't mean abandoning minorities to the domination of rural whites. Contrary to the stereotypes popular on both right and left, minority voters hold relatively centrist views on culture war issues like immigration, police reform, and gender roles. That's part of the reason Democrats lost ground with these groups in the 2020 election.
The real outliers on these issues are college-educated professionals, a group composed disproportionately of whites. In fact, fewer than half of Democratic voters describe their views as "liberal" or "very liberal," with the plurality calling themselves "moderate." President Biden was nominated because he appealed to these voters — especially African Americans — more than progressive favorites like Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) or Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
If Biden wants to salvage his presidency, and Democrats want a strong strategy in 2022 and beyond, they should remember who their friends are.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Samuel Goldman is a national correspondent at TheWeek.com. He is also an associate professor of political science at George Washington University, where he is executive director of the John L. Loeb, Jr. Institute for Religious Freedom and director of the Politics & Values Program. He received his Ph.D. from Harvard and was a postdoctoral fellow in Religion, Ethics, & Politics at Princeton University. His books include God's Country: Christian Zionism in America (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2018) and After Nationalism (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2021). In addition to academic research, Goldman's writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and many other publications.
-
Sex, drugs and a royal ruckus: the US play with a future gay Prince George
Talking Point The controversial off-Broadway show is a hit with audiences in New York
-
Labour's brewing welfare rebellion
The Explainer Keir Starmer seems determined to press on with disability benefit cuts despite a "nightmare" revolt by his own MPs
-
A potentially mutating bat virus has some scientists worried about the next pandemic
Under the Radar One subgroup of bat merbecovirus has scientists concerned
-
DNC rocked by high-profile departures as future is in question
IN THE SPOTLIGHT Generational shifts, ambiguous priorities, and the intensifying dangers of the Trump administration have pushed the organization into uncertain territory
-
Trump tells ICE to hit blue cities, spare farms, hotels
Speed Read Trump has targeted New York City, Chicago and Los Angeles among other cities
-
Is Trump's military parade 'just a parade'?
Talking Point Critics see an 'echo of authoritarianism'
-
'It was also a gift to music-lovers'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Is Trump's LA troop deployment about order or authoritarianism?
Talking Points President: 'We're going to have troops everywhere.'
-
Democrats: Solving the 'man problem'
Feature Democrats are spending millions to win back young men
-
Elon Musk's Trump tiff could be an opportunity for Democrats
TALKING POINTS As two of the world's most powerful people put the final nails in the coffin of their former friendship, Democrats are split over how to best capitalize on the breakup
-
Time's up: The Democratic gerontocracy
Feature The Democratic party is losing key seats as they refuse to retire aging leaders