Simon Bazelon

Simon Bazelon, a Democratic public opinion researcher and author of 'Deciding to Win,' shares insights from his extensive polling on the party's strategies. He discusses how Democrats shifted focus from economic issues to identity politics after 2016, potentially alienating median voters. Bazelon highlights the misleading nature of some issue polls and emphasizes the preference for targeted economic policies over universal ones. He also warns that Democrats must regain voter trust and balance excitement for their base with electability to succeed in future elections.

Simon Bazelon, a Democratic strategist and the lead author of Deciding to Win, offers sharp insights on electoral strategies following the Democrats' 2024 setbacks. He emphasizes the need for the party to moderate its approach, prioritizing economic issues over cultural ones. Bazelon discusses how misreading public sentiment affects their strategies and the importance of aligning with mainstream voter concerns. He argues for focusing on popular policies like healthcare, cautioning against harmful yet popular fixes, and critiques the party's grasp of electoral signals.

Will Kaback chats with Simon Bazelon, a political researcher and lead author of the Deciding to Win report, about the future of politics. They discuss how voter priorities are shifting, with a focus on identity over economic themes. Simon argues that moving left won't mobilize nonvoters and emphasizes the importance of candidate quality. The duo also dives into the need for authenticity aligned with popular policies and explores potential 2028 nominees with crossover appeal. This engaging conversation spotlights key insights on electoral dynamics.