The Changing Face of America: Is Demography Destiny for Democrats? A Debate

Does “demography equal destiny” for Democrats? Will a “rising American electorate” return progressives to power and provide durable electoral majorities?

Those questions will be at the heart of a debate and media Q&A featuring Third Way's Lanae Erickson Hatalsky and CAP’s Ruy Teixeira. Moderated by Mo Elleithee, executive director of Georgetown’s Institute of Politics and Public Service and former communications director of the DNC, the discussion is sure to be a provocative exploration of one of the leading electoral theories for the Democratic Party as it forges a path out of the post-2016 wilderness.

The questions that Lanae and Ruy will deliberate are vitally important. Should the Democrats seek to win back voters lost to Trump and other Republicans down-ballot? Or should their focus be solely on building a base of younger, more diverse voters? Lanae is the co-author of the kickoff paper of our New Blue Campaign, “Why Demography Does Not Equal Destiny." Ruy is the co-author of the seminal book on the demography as destiny theory, The Emerging Democratic Majority. We couldn’t ask for two better interlocutors on this question.