Have the Democrats Lost Their Mojo?
When addressing the question of whether the Democrats have lost their Mojo, one must consider which specific segment of the Democratic Party is being discussed.
Mojo, as defined by The Collins Dictionary, is "personal power or influence over people" (May 4, 2022).
If we use polling numbers as a means for quantifying influence, at least 36% of the electorate (based on recent polls) believe that the Democratic Party's Image has, in fact, lost its impact.
The prior low was 36% in November 2014, after the party lost its majority in the U.S. Senate in that year's midterm election, which gave the Republican Party control of both houses of Congress at the time. Gallup (July 31, 2025).
A deeper dive into the data gives pause to the skeptical analyst who would warn Democratic leaders that all is not well in the land of democratic discourse, where an increasing number of party faithful are moving to become independent voters rather than stay with this most venerable brand.
According to this same study, "The Democratic Party's image woes, partly stem from Democrats' low favorable rating of their own party. Of Democrats, 73% now have a positive opinion of their party.
"This is down sharply from 87% in the prior reading in November and contrasts with a 91% favorable rating of the Republican Party among Republican identifiers." Gallup (July 31, 2025).
So, how have the Democrats lost their influence?
That question can be answered on key areas Democrats need to extensively examine, and fast.
Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS)
The most destructive and certainly odious way that the Democrats have lost their influence is through a virtually psychological disorder, which is termed Trump Derangement Syndrome, or TDS.
It's so infectious that even the most thoughtful mental health professional falls prey to this abnormal behavior.
The devastating impact is that Democrats can no longer logically oppose Trump and the Republicans' policies.
Still, this leads them to react impulsively, thereby preventing a reasonable tactic to combat their objections to Trump and "Trumpsters"' plans.
The best example of this TDS blunder, although there are many, is the recent government shutdown, which even the mainstream media has labeled the "Democrats Shutdown," or morep pointedly, the "Schumer Shutdown.
An Elitist Agenda
The Democrats' agenda (especially of those we can term "limousine liberals") is the fastest way to forget your working-class roots; that is those voters who supported you early on in our nation’s political history.
Nothing shouts "elitist" more than the upper middle class's policy initiative —"Climate Change," "Global Warming," etc.
The additional taxes the debacle of these initiatives places on the working classes, so that heating and cooling bills are well above the reach of any God-loving American who has to work two jobs to make ends meet is unacceptable.
Not to mention the robbing of health benefits for those who use air-conditioning and heating to maintain their health during climate extremes.
In recent studies by the WHO and another UN report, Europe states 175,000 claimed lives to the heat, while only a mere 21,500 heat-related deaths were seen in the U.S.
Climate change, due to its prominence in the media, ranks as the 17th of 20 identified issues, with 41 percent of respondents considering it an important issue (Pew, February 20, 2025).
End Your Immigration Myopia Now
In a Homeland Security press release of October 2025, an overwhelming 78% of Americans support deporting criminal illegal aliens.
This isn't a good look for Democrats when trying to curry favor with current U.S. voters.
The logic (or lack thereof) of supporting criminal illegal potential voters versus current voters is a step too far to take to understand, even for the more progressive political scientist.
To the objective non-partisan observer, this policy violates two basic human principles: Politics 101, don't alienate voters, and Psychology 101, don't say things that people don't want to hear.
This kind of thinking can also be attributed to TDS, which interferes with any semblance of common-sense thinking, which prevents success in upcoming elections.
Emphasis on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
DEI is a construct that aims to create fair, respectful, and inclusive workplaces by addressing systemic biases and promoting the equal treatment and full participation of all individuals, particularly those from historically underrepresented or marginalized groups.
The problem is that a vast number of Americans oppose this way of thinking. Most Americans believe that promotion should be based on performance and not based on any set of quotas for certain groups of people.
A 2019 Pew Research Center survey found, "that while most Americans believe it is important to promote diversity, a majority (74%) said employers should consider only qualifications for hiring and promotion, even if it results in less diversity."
Opposing Trump's Initiatives on the Mideast and Ukraine
Calmer minds have prevailed, to some extent, regarding this matter.
Some of Trump's most prominent critics: former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and former President Bill Clinton, have given Trump credit for progress made regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict.
It was Trump's innate ability to implement his "art of the deal" philosophy that gave "sane-thinking: Democrats an accolade commending his diplomatic efforts. Concerning the Ukraine-Russia war, criticisms continue to emerge, although some denunciations have been muted due to his success in the Mideast.
If the Democrats address these key issues, and do so head on, they may find that it's always easier when they have marketing in mind, especially when it concerns their brand!
Dr. John Tantillo is a Marketing professor at Lander College for Men. He also teaches Social Media Marketing and Branding at Touro University's Graduate School of Business. He is the author of the popular book: "People Buy Brands, Not Companies." Read More of his Reports — Here.