The elites who run the Democratic
Party have been slow learners. For years,
the Party has relied on targeting swing
states and running centrist, mainly white
candidates. It has been playing it safe for
too long, avoiding confrontation, losing
credibility, and squandering potential key
victories. African Americans, the most loyal
of the Democratic base, have stood beside
Democrats through thick and thin. However,
enduring all the Trump trauma, our patience
has worn thinner.
In the period after slavery and
before Reconstruction could consolidate true
Black political power, people of African
descent were subjected to vile conditions
and brutal violence. We struggled to find
the silver lining in the Emancipation
Proclamation. Back then, we looked to the
federal government for intervention and
relief. The response was feeble and
inconsistent. So was the political party we
aligned with. If it had been strong and
consistent, Black folks probably wouldn't be
facing a similar situation in 2026. We’re
still waiting for the federal government to
protect our civil and human rights
unconditionally. And we’re still waiting for
our political party of choice.
We went from the Republican Party
of Abraham Lincoln to the Democratic Party
of Franklin Roosevelt. Black folks thought
they were getting a New Deal but got a No
Deal instead. We went “from the skillet into
the frying pan.” We joined the Party,
believing our enthusiasm and unwavering
commitment would prove we were worth the
fight. There were some notable gains, though
they have proved to be temporary, like the
Voting Rights Act. In 2026, our right to
vote is on the same wobbly ground as it was
in 1956.
Black women have been the backbone
of the Democratic Party; we have saved the
Party at critical times and have little to
show for it. In the last presidential
election, we showed up 90% strong. The
Democratic elites have ignored criticism of
their racial and gender preferences, and now
it’s coming to a head.
Led by Black women, Black voters,
elected officials, Latino allies, and
candidates are shaking up the Democratic
Party. They are looking for fighters who
will fight with them. The Party’s counter to
the extreme right, whether it was the Tea
Party or the MAGA monsters, has been
pathetic and ineffective. The recent
victories of progressive and democratic
socialist candidates have turned the Party
on its heels.
In 2022, a record number of Black
women ran for seats in the U.S. House,
Senate, and governor. The most visible was
Stacey Abrams, who ran for governor of
Georgia for the second time and narrowly
lost to Brian Kemp. Many Black voters and
political analysts felt her loss lay at the
feet of her own party. At that time, five
other Black women had won their primaries
but were overlooked by the Democratic
Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC),
which failed to help turn those wins into
victories. These candidates competed in
heavily Republican districts, yet they
exceeded expectations by reclaiming seats
Democrats had not held in years.
Black and qualified, these female
candidates have proved they can run
effective campaigns and raise big dollars.
Val Demings raised $72 million in her race
against Marco Rubio, who raised a mere $47
million. These candidates don’t get the
early institutional and financial boost from
the Party. Some end up losing by a few
percentage points, which makes the loss even
more frustrating. The Party’s biased lens
doesn’t put these capable women on the
DCCC’s coveted “Red to Blue” lists to
receive priority attention; they get put on
the “Shit” list.
To assess the ways the Democratic
Party can change course, we must confront
cases such as Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman
Schultz’s decision to run in a gerrymandered
district historically represented by Black
officials. When an organization lacks a
strategy and strays from its North Star,
divisive individualism thrives, and the
racism is illuminated.
This is not just about active
support for candidates. State and local
Democratic committees have long complained
about a lack of funds to run robust,
grassroots voter registration and Get Out
The Vote campaigns. Black and Latino media
outlets are often overlooked for campaign
dollars. Midterm elections are projected to
bring in a record $12 billion for political
advertising alone. We deserve an equitable
piece of the action.
The Democratic bureaucrats should
not fear the Angie Nixons and Keisha Lance
Bottoms of the Party. Nor should it attempt
to isolate the likes of Ayanna Pressley and
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. These women are
bringing a fighting spirit and focus to a
working-class agenda that has been lost over
the years.
U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley believes
that fascism isn’t on the rise, “we’re
actively living it right now.” The coming
weeks will be critical for the country’s
future. They will determine whether the
Democratic Party can unify internally and
provide the bold, unapologetic leadership
this political moment demands. It’s time for
the Party to prove that it has what it takes
to transform a corrupt and ineffective
government into one that meets the needs of
its people in a dignified and human way.
