Progressives have stated they want Democratic Party reform with a bold working-class agenda after Republican President Donald Trump’s electoral success.
The nation’s largest grassroots progressive organization, Bernie Sanders’ Our Revolution, recently hosted a post-election organizing call focused on reclaiming the working-class priorities of the Democratic Party.
The virtual event brought together progressive leaders, including Our Revolution Executive Director Joseph Geevarghese, The Nation journalist and author John Nichols, Nebraska Democratic Party Chair Jane Kleeb, and Our Revolution Chair Larry Cohen, to reflect on the 2024 election results and strategize on resisting Donald Trump’s agenda, winning future elections, and reforming the Democratic Party.
The call emphasized the need to rebuild the party by focusing on working-class priorities, cutting ties with the corporate donor class and consultants, and empowering its grassroots base.
Speakers called for bold reforms to counter the influence of corporate money and high-dollar donors, ensuring the party listens to its progressive base rather than prioritizing centrists and consultants removed from the needs of everyday working people.
Progressives pointed to these as key takeaways from the call:
- Joseph Geevarghese underscored the urgent need for party reform, saying, “The Democratic Party has abandoned its working-class roots and embraced corporate donors and consultants. It’s time to reclaim the party and rebuild it around bold policies that resonate with working people.”
- Larry Cohen called for systemic changes to the party’s structure and priorities, stating, “The #1 party reform is to get rid of dirty money. The Democratic Party must stop wasting millions on consultants and TV ads and instead invest in grassroots organizing to win elections.”
- Jane Kleeb highlighted the lack of investment in grassroots engagement, noting, “If we’re going to resist Trump and rebuild the party, we need more progressives in decision-making rooms to ensure resources are allocated to the grassroots.”
- John Nichols pointed to strategic missteps in the 2024 campaign, stating, “The Harris campaign had a chance to win but failed to focus on the working class and critical issues like Gaza. Instead, they listened to centrists and billionaires like Liz Cheney and Mark Cuban.”
The call also highlighted Our Revolution’s efforts to engage its members in a new survey aimed at gathering grassroots input on priorities for reforming the Democratic Party. This survey focuses on issues such as:
- Removing dark money and corporate influence from Democratic primaries
- Shifting resources toward state and local organizing instead of consultants and TV ads
- Increasing financial transparency and rejecting corporate consultants
- Advocating for a fairer, more democratic primary process that avoids coronations
Progressives are encouraged to participate in shaping the party’s future by filling out the survey online. If you missed the event, you can watch the full recording here.
