Political journalist Salena Zito joined Dan Proft and Amy Jacobson to break down the Democratic Party’s ongoing struggle to reconnect with working-class voters and young men—a challenge that persists despite internal acknowledgment of the problem.
Zito discussed a new $20 million Democratic messaging project called “SAM” (short for “Speaking with American Men”), which aims to reverse declining support among younger male voters, particularly online. The initiative proposes placing ads in video games and shifting away from a “moralizing tone.” But as Proft and Zito pointed out, it may be less about platforms and more about content—voters aren’t looking for ads, they’re looking for authenticity and relevance.
Zito argued that Democrats face a core contradiction: they know they’re losing support among key voter groups, but they’re unwilling to abandon the ideological messaging and cultural posturing that drove those voters away. “They know what the problem is,” she said, “but they don’t want to stop doing what they’ve been doing.”
A key part of the problem, Zito said, is the party’s embrace of figures like Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as standard-bearers. While they appeal to the party’s activist base, they don’t resonate with the broader electorate. Young men, in particular, aren’t drawn to performative politics or ideological purity—they want results, not slogans.
Zito also pointed to the impact of the internet and social media, which make it easier than ever for voters to spot inauthenticity. In an age of instant access to unfiltered speech, traditional political packaging no longer holds up. That’s why, Zito argued, some Democrats are misreading the electorate by equating social media virality with real-world appeal.
Asked who might be better positioned to guide Democrats back to a broader coalition, Zito offered a surprising name: former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Emanuel, she said, understood how to recruit moderate candidates with crossover appeal, especially during his time leading the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2006. He focused on winning elections, not ideological purity.
The conversation also turned to geography and the economic shifts reshaping the political map. Zito highlighted the massive impact of the pending U.S. Steel-Nippon Steel deal, which promises a $14 billion investment and thousands of new jobs in places like Western Pennsylvania, Gary, Indiana, and Minnesota. She called it a political “game-changer” that will solidify working-class support in regions both parties are desperate to win.
Proft and Zito discussed how Trump’s about-face on the steel deal illustrated his unique position within the GOP. He remains trusted by voters who believe he delivers on promises, especially when it comes to jobs and economic revitalization. That trust hasn’t transferred to other Republicans, leading to down-ballot drop-off in recent elections.
The two also talked about what Zito described as the coming “fourth industrial revolution.” With artificial intelligence requiring massive energy resources, the next wave of data processing infrastructure is being built in places like Youngstown and Western Pennsylvania—not Silicon Valley. Power plants once slated for decommissioning are being converted to natural gas to fuel the AI boom, bringing billions in investment and new relevance to Rust Belt communities.
But with technological disruption on the rise, Zito warned that education and workforce planning must also adapt. AI is eliminating many entry-level white-collar jobs, meaning college may no longer be the default path to success. Instead, she advocated for renewed investment in trade skills—plumbers, welders, carpenters, and other essential jobs that cannot be automated.
In the end, the interview painted a picture of a Democratic Party caught between ideological commitment and electoral reality. While they continue to invest in messaging strategies aimed at recapturing lost voters, Zito argued that without changing their policies and priorities, those efforts may fall flat.
Salena Zito’s latest book, Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of President Trump, is available now. Her reporting can be found at selenazito.com.