Adam Frisch, a former Colorado Democrat who lost his 2024 House race to Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-CO), expressed deep concern about the future of his party, stating that it is now largely confined to a handful of urban centers and two affluent, left-leaning enclaves.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal over the weekend, Frisch, a former city councilor from Aspen, painted a bleak picture of the Democratic Party’s current state. “Twenty big cities, Aspen, and Martha’s Vineyard — that’s what’s left of the Democratic Party,” he remarked, adding that he wasn’t confident these cities were receiving the “best version” of the party’s values.
Frisch’s comments came amid a broader assessment of the party’s performance following 2024 election losses, which saw Democrats lose ground among key demographic groups, including minorities, women, and low-income voters. A recent Wall Street Journal poll showed that 60% of Americans now view the Democratic Party unfavorably, a sharp contrast to the 36% who view it positively.
Frisch was not alone in his concerns. His failure to flip Rep. Lauren Boebert’s (R-CO) seat in the 2024 elections, which followed Boebert’s district shift due to Ken Buck’s retirement, highlighted the widening gap between the Democratic Party and certain voter bases.
Amid a leadership change in the Democratic National Committee (DNC), with Ken Martin elected as the new chair, the New York Times noted the absence of a clear, forward-thinking message within the party. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) voiced similar concerns, stating, “We have no coherent message.” The ongoing struggle to define a strong identity, beyond anti-Trump rhetoric, poses significant challenges for the Democratic Party moving forward.
