Democratic Washington Rep. Adam Smith asserted on MSNBC’s “The Beat” Friday that the Democratic Party needs to expand its outreach and pivot away from a constant focus on “identity politics,” arguing that not all supporters of President Donald Trump should be dismissed as “racist, bigoted morons.”
Smith’s comments come as Democrats grapple with a significant split over party priorities following struggles to understand and regain voters since the 2024 election.
When discussing how the party should engage Trump supporters to “take back some power” in the midterms, Smith stressed the need to stop “treating them like that” and instead address their concerns.
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The congressman acknowledged the need for Democrats to “change” and “get better,” specifically mentioning the need to “legitimately address immigration” and have “secure borders,” issues where he feels the party fell short. He also noted that “Focusing on identity politics constantly is not what the American people want.”
Smith’s remarks arrive amid challenging polling for the party, with RealClear Polling data showing Democrats’ average favorability at 34.7%, following a low of 29% in a March CNN poll.
Furthermore, a New York Times report from August 20 indicated Democrats lost an estimated 2.1 million voters across 30 states and D.C. between the 2020 and 2024 elections, while Republicans added 2.4 million registered voters.
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