In the aftermath of sweeping 2024 election losses, House Democrats are urging their party to embrace conservative media platforms, arguing that avoiding these outlets risks further alienating key voter demographics and diminishing their political relevance, Axios reported.
House Democrats are rethinking their media strategy following significant 2024 election setbacks. Some lawmakers are advocating for a more inclusive approach to media engagement. They contend that appearing on conservative-leaning platforms like Newsmax and popular podcasts is crucial to broadening their reach and countering Republican narratives.
"If half the country is watching, and we gotta win 50% plus one, how can you reach anybody when you're not talking where they go?" said Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla. His sentiment reflects growing acknowledgment among Democrats that traditional media strategies may no longer suffice in an increasingly polarized and fragmented media landscape.
Historically, Democrats have preferred liberal-leaning outlets such as MSNBC or platforms like CNN, where interviews are easy and often less combative.
However, the 2024 election results, in which Republicans swept the White House and Congress, prompted calls for rebranding Democratic messaging.
Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., emphasized the importance of engaging with all media, even those perceived as adversarial. "If we have confidence in our message, we should be prepared to take our message to every corner of the ecosystem — including in politically hostile environments," Torres told Axios.
The strategy draws inspiration from President-elect Donald Trump's 2024 campaign, which leveraged liberal media, including adverse networks like ABC News, to connect with specific demographics. His strategy also included outreach to younger voters through podcasts and YouTube.
By contrast, many Democrat campaigns prioritized friendly media with shrinking audiences, eliminating their ability to sway undecided voters.
Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, reelected in a district that voted for Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris by a significant margin, advocates for local engagement.
"You've got to contest every corner," Golden said. "Otherwise, all they hear is what's said about you by the other side."
Democrat efforts to reach broader audiences are not unprecedented. During Trump's first term, some 2020 Democrat presidential candidates, such as Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg, appeared in Fox News town halls, drawing attention for their ability to articulate Democrat policies to conservative audiences.
Even progressive Democrats are beginning to embrace a broader media strategy. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., advocates for maximum engagement, stating, "As much engagement as possible is good." Similarly, Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., believes her unique perspective as a progressive and gay woman could resonate with audiences on conservative platforms.
However, not all Democrats are convinced. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, expressed skepticism about the impact of engaging with conservative media, noting, "People that watch Fox News have their minds made up about the type of rhetoric that they want to listen to."
"We need to speak to people who don't consume news as a hobby," Rep. Maxwell Frost, D-Fla., said.