As Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., reflected on the 2024 election results, he cautioned against vilifying voters of color as white supremacists, stating that such actions would only push them further towards President-elect Trump. Torres emphasized that politics should aim to attract voters, not repel them, and noted that condescension is a powerful repellant in politics. He criticized the far left for alienating historically marginalized groups from the Democratic Party, citing issues such as the “Defund the Police” movement and divisive rhetoric that has pushed voters away. Torres stressed the importance of addressing the realities of issues like inflation and immigration rather than dismissing them as mere messaging problems.
Following President Trump’s sound defeat of Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 White House contest, Torres highlighted the signs of a decisive defeat that were apparent to him leading up to the election. He criticized the Democratic Party for being in denial or willfully blind to these signs, opting for magical thinking over actual analysis. Torres pointed out that incumbent parties historically struggle to win elections when a low percentage of Americans believe the country is on the right track, suggesting that the structural challenges were insurmountable. He urged the party to address the real-world issues that have led to widespread discontent.
Torres also called out the New York Times for what he perceived as bias in not interviewing him for a story about his critics on Israel. He expressed frustration with the far left’s influence within the Democratic Party, noting that their messaging and priorities often do not align with the real-world concerns of working-class Americans. The congressman warned that pandering to the far left, which is more representative of social media platforms like Twitter, Twitch, and TikTok, could result in further alienation of key demographics from the party. He emphasized the need to focus on addressing the actual challenges facing the country, rather than dismissing them as messaging problems.
The congressman encouraged his political allies to refrain from using the term “messaging problem” to describe the party’s struggles, arguing that the issues facing the country are rooted in reality, such as inflation and immigration. Torres stressed that these critical issues have contributed to the widespread discontent that ultimately led to President Trump’s victory. He emphasized the importance of not ignoring the messages sent by these real-world challenges, warning that failing to address them could lead to further electoral losses. Torres urged the party to tackle these issues head-on and avoid becoming disconnected from the concerns of everyday Americans.
In conclusion, Rep. Ritchie Torres condemned the vilification of voters of color and urged Democrats to focus on attracting, rather than repelling, key demographics. He criticized the far left for alienating historically marginalized groups and stressed the need to address the real-world challenges facing the country. Torres highlighted the signs of an impending defeat that were apparent leading up to the election and warned against dismissing critical issues as mere messaging problems. He emphasized the importance of understanding the realities of issues like inflation and immigration to avoid further electoral losses. Torres encouraged his political allies to prioritize addressing these challenges and connecting with the concerns of working-class Americans to avoid further alienation and defeat.
