Does Democrats' Problem Stem from Base or Persuasion?

Chuck Todd sits down with veteran Democratic strategist and data expert Tom Bonier to unpack one of the biggest political mysteries of the Trump era: why Democrats are losing voter registrations—and how the GOP got so good at winning them. From the fallout of the Bernie-Clinton primary to the brand erosion under Biden, Bonier traces how Democrats’ messaging, outsourcing, and demographic targeting have backfired while Republicans quietly built lasting grassroots infrastructure, particularly among younger and working-class voters.

The conversation dives deep into the changing dynamics of party loyalty and political identity—why Gen Z and Latino voters are shifting, how Trump reactivated the “missing white vote,” and why college campuses have become unlikely conservative battlegrounds. Todd and Bonier also explore the Democrats’ shrinking Senate map, the Midwest’s populist tilt, and how data-driven strategies like “mixed mode” polling could determine which party defines the next generation of American politics.

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Timeline:

(Timestamps may vary based on advertisements)

00:00 Tom Bonier joins the Chuck Toddcast

01:45 Where did trend of Democrats shedding voter registrations begin?

02:45 Bernie/Clinton primary was when Dem brand took initial hit

04:00 Downturn in Dem brand came during Biden’s four years

05:45 Democrats outsource their registration efforts more than GOP

07:00 Registration efforts targeted friendly demographics

08:00 Registered partisan turnout between 20’ and 24’ was 1 point

09:00 What can Dems learn from Republicans registration tactics?

10:00 The 2012 GOP autopsy was right, but didn’t foresee Trump

10:45 Obama’s campaign targeted younger voters & won

11:30 GOP created a consistent presence on college campuses

12:15 For Gen Z, their first interaction with government was Covid

13:00 Gender gap amongst younger voters was 25+ points

14:00 Trump won big with voters who don’t consume much news

15:30 Why Gen X became the generation that most supports Trump

16:30 When someone registers for a party, that tends to stick

18:30 Trump brought out the “missing white vote”

19:30 Dems dominating with higher educated, higher propensity voters

21:15 Younger white men are overwhelmingly registering Republican

23:00 Younger voters are generally registering as unaffiliated

24:15 Are Dems counting on Trump voters only showing up for Trump?

25:00 Climate looks similar to 17’ except Dems are more unpopular

26:00 What is causing the Democrats “brand problem”?

26:45 Voters didn’t know about Biden’s accomplishments

28:00 The importance of branding your agenda

29:00 Are there a “hard 7” number of swing states, or could others join?

30:30 Texas trending more blue, Florida trending more red

31:15 Migration patterns have made Florida tough for Democrats

32:00 Democrats have almost no margin for error to win the senate

32:45 What 4-6 states should Dems target to expand senate map?

35:00 Is the midwest out of reach for Dems for a generation?

36:15 Midwest voters are populist more than D or R

37:30 How and where can Dems stem losses in blue states?

39:15 Voter mobilization is easier to fix than persuasion

40:00 Why have Georgia and Arizona become more friendly to Dems?

41:15 API voters swung toward Trump in 24’ but are swinging back

42:00 Latino voters are economically sensitive and more swingy

43:30 What’s happening with the “Chamber of Commerce” GOP voter?

45:00 Preferred methodology for public opinion polling?

47:00 What is “mixed mode” polling?

48:30 What are the three polls you always make sure to analyze?

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