The Democratic Party is searching for its soul. Tasked with rebuilding from an electoral loss in November, one of the biggest questions on Democratic voters’ minds is how the party will engage with checked-out young voters.
Voters under 30, who strongly lean Democratic, failed to turn up for Vice President Kamala Harris, with 54% of the age group voting for her compared to the more than 60% who voted for President Joe Biden in 2020. While the loss is no doubt driven by a multitude of factors, some young voters said they simply feel left behind by the party.
Critics took Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s, D-N.Y., unsuccessful bid for House Oversight leadership as a sign that the party was unwilling to change its ways after 84-year-old ex-speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., reportedly campaigned against her in favor of 74-year-old Gerry Connolly, D-Va. Still, some choose to focus on the progress, not the setbacks.
In an interview with Salon, 32-year-old Rep.-elect Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., counted herself as part of a new generation of Democratic leaders ready to make change.
“There truly is a shift happening with young people getting more involved,” Ansari said, adding that part of the transition to younger leadership is getting young voters more involved.
Ansari connects with constituents through informal, online outreach. On TikTok and Instagram, the congresswoman-elect documents the procedural business for new members, provides legislative updates and organically promotes constituent services.
“One of the major lessons learned from this election and overall the climate that we're living in is that people are really wanting authenticity,” she told Salon. “I don't wanna prescribe for others what they should do because I think the most important thing is that no matter who you are, if you're an elected official or have a platform, that you're doing what feels natural to you and comfortable to you.”
Ansari’s TikTok videos aren’t so much a savvy strategy as they are the authentic output of a power user. In one post on the platform, Ansari admits she can be found scrolling through the app most nights. “Most of my feed is the Eras Tour,” she admits. That connection to the platform makes it easier for her content to break through.
“I think it's incumbent upon elected officials to, again, go out of their way and go above and beyond to be more proactive in the community,” Ansari said. “We do live in a time where we can be less worried about... just being on script all the time… It's important for people to see that politicians are people and have some of the same interests and hobbies as they do.”
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Slated to be the youngest woman in Congress when she’s sworn in on Jan. 3, Ansari was elected the Democratic freshman class president last month. In a statement, she called her election to that post a “small signal to Democratic voters, and especially young people, that the party is ready for new, young voices in Congress to be given opportunities to lead.”
Amid criticism, Ansari points to major signs that the Democratic Party is ready to listen to young people.
“Angie Craig, who is a Democratic congresswoman from Minnesota representing a rural community, beat out someone that is several decades her senior,” Ansari said. “She will be, now, the lead Democrat on the Agriculture Committee, which I think is awesome and really encouraging for younger members.”
Likewise, 35-year-old Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, will take a leading role in the lower chamber, chairing the House Progressive Caucus.
“It may not be happening as quickly as some people would like,” Ansari acknowledged, adding that winning leadership posts required building a large and diverse coalition, reflective of the entire Democratic caucus.
Ansari also recognizes how important Democratic leadership will be over the next four years, as President-elect Donald Trump prepares an assault on Arizona's most marginalized residents.
"I'm acutely aware that [Arizona's] District 3 is going to be on the front lines of the immigration battle and particularly Trump's devastating and harmful pledge to carry out mass deportations ... I have not stopped working since election day preparing for this," Ansari told Salon. "I am representing a blue district, a racially diverse district in a red or purple state, that's going to be on the front lines of this battle. So I'm not gonna sit out. I intend to do everything I can to protect families in Arizona's 3rd district."
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Amid fear and discontent, Ansari emphasized that staying involved in the political process was crucial, especially for young people who feel left behind.
“It can be very tempting to wanna completely disengage from politics,” Ansari said. “I would say that just because you're disassociating from politics doesn't mean it is disassociating from you. And at the end of the day, politics do matter.”
Though she holds a relatively uncompetitive seat, replacing Sen.-elect Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., Ansari is no stranger to the importance of each vote.
The rep.-elect won a heated primary in Arizona's third congressional district by a wire-thin margin in August, besting former Arizona Democratic Party chair Raquel Terán by just 36 votes.
“Stay active when you can because it does matter — and it's exciting!” Ansari said.
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