‘Out of touch’ Democrats must reinvent themselves to win back voters

AS the Democrats prepare to begin holding President-elect Donald Trump to account, the party is also facing the massive task of reinventing itself.

What will happen to the Democrars now? Picture: AP

WHEN Hillary Clinton lost the presidency to Donald Trump, that wasn’t all that disappeared. The future of the Democrats — America’s political left — went from being mapped out clearly with one dynasty poised to take over from another, to simply evaporating.

In the eight years in which Obama held office, the party ceded control of the House, Senate and then finally the White House.

The party not only lost power in the form of numbers but it was left shell-shocked and contemplating what a future for America’s progressive movement looked like after it had been so roundly rejected in key states it had held on to for decades.

Clinton’s loss exposed a yawning gap between what huge parts of the country were looking for in a politician and what the Democrats were offering.

Falling in line with tradition, Bill and Hillary Clinton plan to attend Donald Trump's inauguration. Picture: AP

RENOVATION NATION

As the Democrats prepare to move into a position of opposition holding Donald Trump to account from January 21, the party also faces the task of large scale reinvention work on itself.

This is on two fronts — both developing the next generation of politicians and reaching out to swathes of America that have turned their back on the progressive side of politics.

President Obama recognised at his end of year press conference the problems his party faces.

“Where Democrats are characterised as coastal, liberal, latte-sipping, you know, politically correct out of touch folks — we have to be in those communities,” he said.

The New York Post this week published a picture of the decayed Democratic grasp on power over the course of the Obama presidency. The indicators included:

— Losing the White House

— Dropping Senate seats by 16 per cent

— Dropping House seats by 24 per cent

— Losing control of both the Senate and the House

— Dropping governorships by 43 per cent

— Dropping state legislatures by 48 per cent

— States with democratic governors and both legislative chambers dropped 65 per cent.

Citing data from Ballotpedia, the New York Post wrote that there had been a loss of 959 Democratic positions in total.

U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama wave at crowds from Air Force One as they leave Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, adjacent to Honolulu, Hawaii. Picture: AP

WHAT’S IN A NAME

The loss of Hillary Clinton marked the end of the Clinton dynasty — in the short term at least, until Chelsea decides to play a hand.

It comes as the Obamas exit office with the highly popular Michelle adamant she has no interest in running for office.

Between both families, it marks the exit from politics of the party’s most recognisable names.

A USA Today/Suffolk University poll last week found most voters wanted fresh blood to run for Democratic president in 2020.

In a list of actual contenders, the 66 per cent of respondents said they’d be excited by “someone entirely new”, with no name given.

The nationwide poll of 626 people had Vice President Joe Biden come out on top of known names, followed by liberal Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.

When Vice President Joe Biden was asked about the future of the party and who would be leader come January 21 when Mr Obama’s term officially finished, he said steering the party ship needed to be a group effort.

“After every presidential election when a party loses, there is no single leader,” Mr Biden told CNN.

The Trump family gathers at the opening of the Trump International Hotel in Washington DC. Picture: Fred Watkins/ABC via Getty Images

“There are voices that hopefully will be heard. Hopefully I’ll be able to have a voice in the direction of the party, (Mr Obama) will,” he said, also referencing senator Chuck Schumer, congresswoman Nancy Pelosi as voices of note.

He said fresh governors would also emerge over time as they were elected.

“It’s a contest of ideas over which direction to take the party. After every single loss, the political party that loses they go and they do a retrospective … what did we do wrong. That debate is going to ensue, and hopefully the party will grow from it,” Mr Biden said.

Mr Biden said he wasn’t going anywhere.

“I think 2018 is going to be a very good year for the democrats,” he said, saying the Republicans still had to prove they could make America better.

“Watch how they do it. Watch the response from the public as they do it. I can hardly wait for these debates,” he said, clapping his hands together.

Supporters cheer after US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at a rally in Warren, Michigan. Picture: AFP

TESTING THE WATERS

In 2018, the Democrats will need to defend 25 Senate seats in the midterm elections. Almost half of those are in states that voted for Mr Trump.

President Obama said even on exiting office he hopes to be involved in uncovering a much needed new talent pool for the party.

“What I’m interested in is just developing a whole new generation of talent,” he told NPR in the week before Christmas.

“That’s something I think I can do well, I think Michelle can do well. That’s part of what makes me optimistic about our future because I know those young people are out there ready to lead.”

In the same interview, he conceded the party had lost touch with grassroots voters and took some responsibility.

“I am a proud Democrat but I do think that we have a bias towards national issues and international issues,” he said.

“And as a consequence I think we’ve ceded too much. And I take some responsibility for that.”