DNC Summit Fails to Quell Fears

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison got his chance to speak and did not disappoint: “Even us Democratic AGs have sued this dude [Trump] 44 times, and we’ll sue him 44 more, and 44 more after that … we will sue him every day, and all the time, and we will be unrelenting.” Why not, right? Lawfare has worked swimmingly for the left so far. By the way, how does filing weaponized lawsuits against the president help Americans? There are probably dozens of reasons why the Democratic Party’s approval numbers are at an all-time low, but trying to stop the president from implementing his agenda, the one he was elected to fulfill, is likely at the top of that list.

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?

Laying Tracks for the Exodus

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.