by Bob Gatty
Election: Who’s to Blame?
Before the election, we Democrats pointed fingers at the Republicans suggesting they would face a major reckoning once Trump was defeated by Kamala Harris. We were certain that Trump’s hijacking of the GOP would meet its demise, that MAGA would wither and die, and we would be rid of the twice-impeached convicted felon for good.
Well, the unthinkable happened and it is we Democrats who must figure out what happened and what’s next. It’s time for some serious should self-analysis to determine the path forward, and there’s not much time to waste as the 2026 Congressional elections will soon be upon us, and they will be critical to stopping the worst of Donald Trump.
Buoyed with the good vibes that materialized after Harris was named to replace President Biden as our candidate and the joy that seemed to be building compared to the dark, negative messaging by Trump, we assumed women, people of color, and young voters would put Harris over the top.
We were wrong.
How did we miss the fact that many voters believed Democrats failed to understand the impact of rising prices while focusing on abortion, climate change and Trump’s desire to be a dictator? When the polling showed large numbers of voters were worried about threats to democracy and freedom, we assumed that meant they would support Harris as that was a major component of her messaging. Instead, it seems voters believed Trump when he warned it was the Democrats who wanted to step on their freedom. They swallowed that con without question.
Now we who must reassess what our party stands for, and how to restore support from blue collar workers, people of color, and young people. No, we should not give up our principles, our determination to support women in their battle for reproductive rights, or people of color as they confront racism in nearly all walks of life, or young people who want to preserve their environmental future. But we must recognize that rising costs for just about everything, especially food and housing, trumps all of that in the minds of those living from paycheck to paycheck.
When rents are rising to the point when many people cannot afford a place to live, or when grocery prices are so high that people must scrimp or choose between putting food on the table and paying the electric bill, other issues pale in importance.
Unfortunately, Trump’s hateful, disgusting messaging stuck when people voted, and Biden’s horrible approval ratings, Harris’ inability to separate herself from his policies, and concerns about electing a woman – especially a woman of color – helped turned the tide for Trump.
Democrats have a lot of work to do, and we need a new generation of leaders to do it.
That’s my take.
Bob Gatty is the founder and editor of Lean to the Left and host of the Lean to the Left podcast. He is a retired journalist and communications consultant, and the co-author of Hijacked Nation, Donald Trump’s attack on America’s greatness. A former Congressional aide, he lives in Myrtle Beach, SC, with his wife, Jackie.