WASHINGTON (TNND) -- Democrats are being cautioned by a left-leaning think tank to reconsider their messaging strategies, as certain terms may alienate voters and potentially aid Republicans in the 2026 elections. A memo from Third Way, titled "Was it something I said?", highlights the disconnect between the language used by Democrats and the average voter.
"For a party that spends billions of dollars trying to find the perfect language to connect to voters, Democrats and their allies use an awful lot of words and phrases no ordinary person would ever dream of saying," the memo stated.
The memo criticizes terms like "birthing person," "Latinx," "microaggression," and "the unhoused," suggesting that while these may resonate with activists, they often confuse or repel voters in focus groups. Third Way argues that the issue is not with Democratic policies but with the language that can come across as elitist or condescending.
"In reality, most Democrats do not run or govern on wildly out-of-touch social positions. But voters would be excused to believe we do because of the words that come out of our mouths -- words which sound like we are hiding behind unfamiliar phrases to mask extreme intent," the memo said.
The memo further points out that terms such as "privilege," "cisgender," "intersectionality," and "justice-involved" can sound like academic jargon or suggest that Democrats prioritize protecting criminals over victims.
The proof is in the data
This warning comes amid troubling voter registration trends for Democrats. According to The New York Times, which analyzed data from L2, a nonpartisan data firm, Democrats lost 2.1 million voters between 2020 and 2024, while Republicans gained 2.4 million. This shift contributed to President Donald Trump's significant victory in both the Electoral College and the popular vote.
The decline in Democratic registration continued into 2025, with 160,000 fewer Democrats and 200,000 more Republicans than on Election Day in 2024, according to L2's data. Experts told The New York Times that this trend could worsen for Democrats before improving, posing a long-term challenge for the party.