It’s time for Democrats to embrace progressive policies in a real way. It’s time for Democratic candidates to unequivocally support policies like Medicare-for-All, a livable (or even thriving) minimum wage, and free college because the Democratic Party needs to energize and engage voters if it is to continue to gain momentum.
Surveys show that the majority of Americans support these policies, and yet candidates in Maine and around the country continue to tow the line on more moderate stances. Party leaders hesitate when it comes to truly embracing the most popular progressive ideas and clearly voters don’t believe Dems have it in them to ultimately give us what we want.
Florida voted to raise the minimum wage to $15 while simultaneously remaining a Republican-led state with the majority supporting President Donald Trump.
In Nevada, a first-of-its-kind amendment to protect marriage equality in the state constitution passed with 62 percent of the vote. Fifty-six percent of Nevadans voted to increase renewable energy while, at last count, just over 50 percent of Nevadans voted for Democratic president-elect Joe Biden.
And here in Maine, 66 percent of Rockland voters opted to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024. Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon only received 51 percent of the vote in that town, despite running against Sen. Susan Collins who in 2014 voted against raising the federal minimum wage floor to $10.10 an hour.
In the day since the election, leaders of the Left have been pointing to the success of progressive ballot measures such as these. “All over America, voters approved a progressive agenda. Now, Congress must act,” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) tweeted Sunday.
Every single swing-seat House Democrat who endorsed #MedicareForAll won re-election or is on track to win re-election.
Every.👏🏽 Single.👏🏽 One.👏🏽
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 7, 2020
It is clear that the views of the majority of Americans are in line with progressive policies — and even more clear that Republican candidates have no interest in pursuing those policies themselves. Yet across the country, we see instances of voters who supported a candidate that doesn’t actually speak to their ideals. A significant number of voters seem to be walking a line between supporting progressive policies while rejecting Democratic candidates, and Democrats need to look at why that is.
Democrats in Maine made a lot of progress this election, with candidates like April Fournier winning her bid for Portland City Council and Clare Mundell in Bangor, who won a seat on the city’s School Committee running on an anti-racism platform.
But we should be winning with much bigger numbers than we are. The Democratic Party needs to have a conversation, sooner rather than later, about why progressive policies are winning where Democratic candidates aren’t. The Democratic Party needs to openly, clearly, embrace the policies that the majority of Americans clearly want to see and follow that with solid action and implementation.
Photo: McDonald’s workers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on strike in May demanded the company pay $15 minimum wage and grant them the right to form a union. | Joe Raedle, Getty Images
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