Democrats in Los Angeles are still in shock and are considering what went so wrong for their party this year.
However, at the annual meeting of Democratic governors in California, they unanimously agreed that a change must be made if they want their party—and, they hope, one of them—to have a genuine chance to win the presidency in 2028.
For now, Democrats must lay the groundwork, create the infrastructure, and choose a DNC chairman who is dedicated to achieving that goal, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy told NBC News, adding that we can worry about who we run for president [in 2028] or policy changes later.
Additionally, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear cautioned Democrats about a major barrier to their goals for redefinition: President-elect Donald Trump. This was during a pitch to recommit the party to a focus on improving voters’ daily lives by addressing important issues like inflation, health care, infrastructure, transportation, and education.
According to Beshear, during the previous Trump administration, people paid too much attention to Trump and the events in Washington, D.C., and not enough attention to [Democratic] concerns.
“Avoid becoming divided between us and them,” he continued. It’s not a successful tactic.
There is already widespread consensus at various levels of the party, especially among some of the resistance movement groups that rose to prominence during Trump’s first term, that Democrats cannot respond to Trump in the same manner as they did eight years ago.
However, after Trump’s election, some of the most well-known governors—who also happen to be among those who have been discussed as possible presidential candidates—moved swiftly to position their states as barriers against Trumpism. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker discussed ways to support his state against Trump, while California Governor Gavin Newsom announced a special legislative session.
Others in red and purple states have adopted less combative positions. Beshear and fellow red-state Democratic governor Laura Kelly of Kansas stated at the Democratic Governors Association conference that they would seek opportunities to collaborate with Trump in areas that would benefit their constituents.
Kelly told reporters on Saturday, “We really don’t know what’s coming down the pike.” We’ll assess it according to our needs, and if necessary, we’ll always search for methods to collaborate.
As governor, it is my responsibility to take whatever necessary action to get what Kansas needs. Therefore, she continued, “We are very open to working with the Trump administration.”
Beshear stated that he would support pro-Trump initiatives when they benefit Kentuckians and oppose Trump when the incoming presidential administration takes moves that negatively impact his state’s citizens.
Echoing Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., who told NBC News last month that Democrats should stop “freaking out” at everything Trump says and comparing his party members to cats and Trump to “the guy with the laser pointer,” Beshear said that Democrats could suffer if they react negatively to the daily grind of Trump’s news of the day.
According to Fetterman, “you’re going to be chasing it around the whole room,”
In New Jersey, where two Democratic House members, Josh Gottheimer and Mikie Sherrill, are competing in a crowded primary for the opportunity to succeed Murphy, who is term-limited, it may be an early trend to watch as Democrats position themselves in the governor’s campaign. Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka are also in the main field.
In a state where Trump made notable gains in 2024, the Democratic nominee will have to compete against a Republican contender following the primary. Trump trailed Vice President Kamala Harris by just 6 points in 2024 after losing New Jersey by 16 percentage points in 2020.
“I think it wasn’t one thing, but that there were 12 to 15 things, including some very smart moves by Trump and his team, that all went against us,” Murphy said of the major mistakes he believed the Harris campaign made.
When the party elects a new chair of the Democratic National Committee in February, Democrats will have their first opportunity to shape the party’s future.
Murphy called on Democrats to gather and request the order, even if it’s in a red town, county, or state. “I want to see someone who focuses on what we Democrats far too often take for granted or view as mundane,” Murphy said of the 50 State Strategy 2.0.
According to Murphy and Beshear, Democrats should concentrate on establishing their positions with voters for the time being and preparing for the 2026 midterm elections, which will be the first national test of their post-2024 reconstruction.
Murphy stated that although we must be sober and thoughtful, it is not the end of the world or the Democratic Party. We’ll live to battle once again. That’s where I’m really confident.
According to Beshear, Trump will continue to shift to the right during his second term in office, which means Democrats have the opportunity to embrace common sense and the middle ground if they so choose.
He went on to say that winning the 2026 midterms by a large margin is the best thing Democrats can do in preparation for [the 2028 presidential race].
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