The Democratic National Committee opened its summer meeting in Minneapolis with Chair Ken Martin insisting the party was united around one goal: stopping President Donald Trump. But within hours, the cracks in that unity were on full display.
At the center of the storm are two explosive issues: the war in Gaza and the role of dark money in politics. Both highlight deep divides between the party’s aging establishment and its progressive base, threatening to overshadow the Democrats’ attempt to regroup after their bruising election losses.
On Gaza, two competing resolutions exposed a party at war with itself. Martin backed a resolution calling for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid, but a young Florida delegate introduced a rival proposal demanding the U.S. suspend military aid to Israel altogether. That position, while popular among progressives, is anathema to older Democrats still clinging to traditional pro-Israel policy.
The clash underscores how rapidly support for Israel has collapsed among Democratic voters since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 massacre and Israel’s ongoing military response. Polling shows Democratic sympathy shifting away from Israel, leaving party leaders torn between appeasing their base and maintaining America’s historic alliance.
The Gaza debate wasn’t the only fracture. Martin also pushed a resolution to eliminate unlimited corporate and dark money in the 2028 Democratic primary process. While Democrats have long railed against big money in politics, insiders worry cutting off super PAC influence could cripple their already struggling fundraising machine. The DNC is trailing the Republican National Committee badly in both donations and voter registrations, deepening the sense of panic.
Meanwhile, Democratic governors and strategists tried to downplay the visible tension. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz compared the infighting to a quarrel in a marriage, saying disagreements were normal. Longtime strategist Maria Cardona scolded critics for focusing on the “circular firing squad,” insisting Democrats are united where it matters most — opposing Trump.
But no amount of spin can disguise the party’s grim reality. Registration numbers show Democrats hemorrhaging voters, their brand is at its lowest approval in decades, and the DNC faces a massive cash deficit. Younger voters, once their most reliable base, are increasingly alienated.
Republicans, meanwhile, are reveling in the spectacle. RNC communications director Zach Parkinson mocked the DNC’s struggles, saying, “Under Ken Martin’s leadership, Democrats have sunk to their lowest approval rating in 35 years. As Republicans, we think he’s doing a fantastic job, and we fully endorse him to stay on.”
The Democrats’ Minneapolis meeting was supposed to reset the party’s message and rally troops ahead of 2026. Instead, it revealed a movement at war with itself — caught between its traditional base and a radical progressive wing determined to drag the party left.
As Democrats bicker over ceasefires, embargoes, and super PACs, Trump and Republicans are surging ahead with clearer messaging, better organization, and a rapidly expanding voter base. For Democrats, the road to recovery looks more uncertain than ever.