A coalition of rural, progressive Democratic organizations is urging the new chair of the national party to invest more in rural and working-class communities in Arizona and around the country.
Anthony Flaccavento, executive director of the Rural Urban Bridge Initiative, said it is time for the party to start prioritizing the often forgotten groups, especially after the party's lackluster performance in November in which large portions of these groups rejected Democrats.
"If we don't begin to win back a significant part of these rural and working-class people, then Trump will more than likely survive these four years intact in the sense of getting his policies enacted," Flaccavento pointed out.
Flaccavento called the opposition reignited by Trump being back in the White House "promising," but added it has to reach beyond highly educated, liberal voters. Arizona's rural voters make up a small fraction of the state's electorate, the majority being held within Maricopa and Pima counties, where Democrats have focused their efforts and have stayed competitive. Flaccavento pointed out now more than ever, his party needs to regroup, restrategize and reinvest in rural, working-class America.
The new Democratic National Committee chair, Ken Martin, longtime leader of Minnesota's Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, recently wrapped up a multistate tour in which he aimed to appeal to the working class. He has publicly acknowledged the party has lost ground with working-class and rural voters.
Flaccavento stressed time is of the essence, which is why his coalition of groups is urging action now.
"How about we start with a focus on the DNC, with new leadership coming up, and try to get them on board with this?" Flaccavento suggested. "And then work with the DNC to work with Democratic donors and the party in general to shift the focus and start investing in these two communities."
Flaccavento added many Democrats need to make long-term investments in "abandoned" counties where party leaders feel alone and locals feel like their requests and priorities are falling on deaf ears.
"We will not see results in one or two election cycles, but we might see results in a decade," Flaccavento projected. "Then in the battleground states do the same thing, but with more expectation that it'll actually yield election results in 2026 and in 2028."
