It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Instead of holding a record-low number of elected offices at the federal, state and local levels, Democrats were supposed to have unshakable majorities. Instead of relying on a handful of “blue wall” states in the upper Midwest to preserve Democrats’ electoral college advantage, the party was supposed to expand into territory once held by Republicans. Among Democrats, it became common wisdom that a “rising American electorate” of nonwhite voters, millennials and single women would mean long-term Democratic majorities. …
Why did changing demographics not lead to electoral destiny for Democrats? Our report out this month provides several answers, starting with the fact that demographic change isn’t evenly dispersed. CONT.
Lanae Erickson Hatalsky & Jim Kessler (Third Way), Washington Post