Where Have All the Democrats Gone?—Part 2

Ruy Teixeira

Over two decades ago, Ruy Teixeira predicted that America was on its way to a bright blue future, thanks to an inevitable demographic shift that would deliver the Party a dominant, durable political coalition.

"Demography is destiny" became the mantra of the Democratic Party—proven out by Obama’s decisive 2008 electoral college win.

But then, in 2016, Trump upended that coalition, and, consequently, anti-Trumpism naturally became a defining feature of the Democratic Party.

But—beyond its opposition to Trump—what does the Democratic Party stand for today?

With the Republican Party infected with extremism and so embarrassingly unable to govern, why aren’t Democrats winning sustainable majorities?

And why is the Democratic party still losing ground with some of the core parts of its base?

In the second part of this two-part conversation, former Center for American Progress senior fellow Ruy Teixeira joins Ron Steslow to discuss his new book Where Have All the Democrats Gone? The Soul of the Party in the Age of Extremes.

In part 2:

(01:06 ) The shift towards identity politics and how it’s changing the party’s approach to race and civil rights

(08:40) Radical approaches to transgender rights (16:50) The change in environmental policy from responsible stewardship to the more extreme positions of the Green New Deal

(41:14) The rise in independent voters, what it really means, and how it should impact political strategy

(45:45) Whether it’s even possible for structural reforms in our political system to improve the health of our democracy