The Democratic National Committee (DNC) held its annual summer meeting this week in Minneapolis, beginning on Monday, August 25. The party no doubt went into the three-day event hoping to find some direction as it fumbles with messaging and faces plunging poll numbers, party division, fundraising issues, and a massive drop in voter registration. Instead, the event was another tiresome display of cognitive dissonance and wishful thinking: a lot of talk about change without displaying a willingness to break away from the destructive path it continues to tumble down. The meeting was adjourned on Wednesday morning, however, due to a shooting at a Catholic school only ten minutes away. But donors, allies, and voters had probably already seen and heard enough to understand the party’s priorities and predict its future.
Elected just six months ago, DNC Chair Ken Martin has a nearly impossible task ahead of him. He somehow must rebrand a fractured party and raise funds with little to offer donors other than a pocketful of hope and a strong opposition to Trump. In fact, Martin’s opening speech was primarily a screed bashing the president while firing up members in the process:
“Now, look, folks, I’m sick and tired of this Democratic Party bringing a pencil to a knife fight. We cannot be the only party that plays by the rules anymore. We’ve got to stand up and fight. We’re not going to have a hand tied behind our back anymore. Let’s grow a damn spine and get in this fight.”
And the crowd hopped to their feet and went wild, clapping, united in their hatred for one person. It’s all about the “fight,” taking a stand against the “authoritarian” orange man. If Democratic supporters were hoping for something new and reassuring to lift their spirits, they probably did not find it while watching this spectacle.
“This is not politics as usual,” said Martin. “This is authoritarianism. It’s fascism in a red tie, and we, each of you in this room and all the Democrats throughout this country, we are the only thing standing in his way.”
No wonder the party is struggling to pull in donations. Donors have been hesitant this year as the DNC’s coffers dwindle. As of June, it raised around $15 million, about $65 million shy of what the RNC has on hand, according to Politico. Meanwhile, Axios recently reported that the DNC has continued to pay off former Vice President Kamala Harris’ debts, spending “more than $15 million toward Harris 2024 campaign expenses in the first six months of 2025.” Of course, Martin claimed at the meeting on Wednesday that it is “raising records amount of money,” $70 million so far this year, he said, all from grassroots donations. At this point, even if he’s right, will it matter?
During the second day of the DNC meeting, tensions flared over resolutions involving Gaza, an issue that has divided members for some time. Minutes after a panel approved a proposal reiterating the party’s support for peace between Israel and Palestine, it shot down a resolution calling on leaders to stop sending arms to Israel and to recognize Palestine as a state. Martin huddled privately for a moment with supporters of the failed resolution and came away with an announcement withdrawing the approved proposal.
More than anything, he appeared to be trying to avoid infighting. He said he would appoint a “task force comprised of stakeholders on all sides of this to continue to have the conversation, to work through this, and bring solutions back to our party.” The olive branch did not appear to satisfy defenders of the failed resolution, and since Martin withdrew the first one, both sides of the issue walked away unhappy. What makes this even more polarizing for them is that recent polling suggests support for Israel’s continued attacks on Gaza is diminishing among voters. Almost 70% of Democrats have an unfavorable opinion of Israel, according to the Pew Research Center.
One thing members could agree on, though, was a resolution reaffirming the party’s support for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Never mind the growing backlash among Americans and elected Republicans over DEI practices. Democrats appear unable or unwilling to ditch their radical and unpopular policies.
Overall, it seems they still have a lot to learn from 2024. Probably the only voters who came away from the summit feeling content and happy with the party’s direction were those who get fired up by outrage and are swept off their feet when Democratic leaders call the president insulting names and promise to “fight.” But how long can a group define itself based primarily on its hatred for the opposition? Eventually, it will have to find a purpose besides resistance, or else the exodus will likely continue.