The Democratic Party has a long four years ahead of it.
In the wake of Kamala Harris’ defeat in the 2024 presidential election, the party is churning out theories, pointers and hopeful ideas about how to reignite the fire in voters’ bellies.
Part of this effort begins with the Democratic National Committee, which oversees efforts to elect Democrats at the federal, state, and local levels. In other words, the DNC amplifies the overall message of the Democratic Party.
Following the resignation of DNC Chair Jamie Harrison, Democrats are aiming to: find a new leader Someone who excels in an area where the party was lacking. Key areas that need improvement: Involvement of people who are apathetic or already engaged. Exhausted voters.
On Tuesday night, DNC chair candidates I met with a team called CHORUS. progressive online creators An unprecedented forum They set out to do just that, and according to statistics, they succeeded. A real-time poll during the event found that 85% of people participating in the livestream were watching a DNC forum for the first time.
The candidates vying for the chair position are: Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Ben Wikler; Minnesota Party Chairman Ken Martin. Former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley. 2022 Arkansas Congressional Candidate Quintessa Hathaway. Self-help guru Marianne Williamson. New York State Senator James Skoufis. and attorney Jason Paul.
While most of these candidates may be unfamiliar to most Americans, the online creators who moderated the forums gave their millions of followers a chance to get to know them.
As the graph above shows, a Civiqs poll of Democrats showed that 64% of respondents felt “fearful, depressed, or angry” about “the state of America today.” I did. Dealing with a growing number of tired and weary voters after the last election cycle, Democrats are turning to creators as a way to inform, educate and re-engage their party base.
Creator and political commentator Zach Kirk zakutivist He told Daily Kos on social media that he was shocked at how misinformed many people online were.
“I was baffled and blinded by the lack of understanding.” [people have] About how government works,” he told us.
and as a conservative Online creators and podcasters As we have rallied and enraged the right over the past four years, left-wing creators like Kirk are more aware than ever of the importance of educating and motivating the online communities on their side.
This is where his own content comes into play. Kirk, whose full-time job doesn’t include politics or content creation, spends his free time figuring out where and how best to engage with his community. A self-proclaimed person who puts “the well-being of people” above politics, Kirk’s style of delivering political news and commentary offers something that traditional media outlets like MSNBC typically don’t: solutions. .
Instead of covering the gloom and gloom of MAGA victories, Kirk intends to flip the narrative.
“[I will] I will continue to provide my network and community with information that provides ways to cope and survive,” he said, adding that he intends to “lift up stories that are being overlooked” in a sea of Trump news. For those looking for respite and connection while scrolling on their phones, articles that aren’t negative breaking news can serve as a way to get back into political engagement.
For Democrats, another benefit of these creator-driven political debates is that they can highlight American communities that don’t necessarily get airplay in mainstream media.
“Raise your hand if you know who 92% is,” creator Elizabeth Booker Houston asked DNC chair candidates Tuesday night.
Lawyers, professors, comedians, and content creators mentioned: Percentage of black women People who voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. Notably, only one candidate raised his hand when asked the question.
Booker-Houston, who told a panel of candidates that “black women are exhausted” and quipped that Baltimore was “too black and too scary for Republicans,” is an example of a left-wing creator who truly appeals and connects with the Democratic base. It’s nothing more than that. Voters are sometimes seen as the forgotten ones.
But as the countdown to Donald Trump’s second inauguration inches closer, Democrats and DNC chair candidates unanimously agree on one thing. The Democratic Party’s approach is no longer working, and it’s time to embrace a new left-leaning media.
To Kirk, Democrats have their work cut out for them.
“We are at ground zero,” he said. “No one has emerged as a decisive spokesperson for the Democratic Party or anyone who will resist what President Trump is trying to do. No one will counter.”
A vote on a new DNC chair is scheduled for February 1, and while a front-runner has yet to emerge, one thing is certain: Democrats cannot afford to ignore the power of influencers. That’s true.
