Mark Warner (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Dear Commons Community,
Senator Mark Warner (Democrat, Virginia) says ‘The Democratic Brand Stinks’ and that his party needs to show it is not out of touch with U.S. voters. In addition, Democrats face a cultural disconnect with many U.S. voters that’s making it hard for them to get their policy proposals across. As reported by The Huffington Post.
“I think, frankly, the Democratic brand stinks. I think there are a whole lot of Americans that they don’t listen to your idea if your brand is so off,” he said yesterday at the annual Wall Street Journal CEO Council Summit in Washington.
Warner’s comments came as Democrats continue to ponder the losses in the Nov. 5 elections that will give Republicans control of the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives for the first time since 2019.
The ongoing debate in some Democratic quarters is whether the party needs large, wholesale changes or smaller, incremental ones.
Warner’s remarks put him closer to the former approach, but that also may not be surprising given his background. Warner is a moderate, pro-business Democrat who became wealthy running a telecommunications company; he has won in a state that has only turned reliably Democratic in its presidential vote since 2008.
“I think the Democrats’ disconnect culturally with a lot of Americans is fundamental. I mean, it played out in things like the trans ad,” he said, referring to a Donald Trump campaign ad highlighting Vice President Kamala Harris’ support for the transgender rights of prisoners.
Warner said Democrats’ policy stances “make more sense” than those of Republicans, but that doesn’t matter “if people don’t hear you.”
When he ran for governor in 2001, his campaign included voter outreach efforts using NASCAR, bluegrass bands and a sportsmen’s group, he said.
“That’s not the right message for today, but showing that there’s a cultural connection before you ask people to listen to you on issues, I think, is critically important. I think Democrats [have] got to rethink that,” Warner said.
The three-term senator also cautioned Democrats against complacently thinking a typical midterm rejection of the party in power would see it regain some power on Capitol Hill in 2026. Instead, it should be more pro-business and support regulatory reforms as part of that, he said.
“I’ve got a litany of ideas here, but I think it will take an acknowledgment from the Democrats that the brand itself needs to be changed in a dramatic way,” Warner said.
Democrats should listen to Warner!
Tony
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