Can We Make the Democratic Party Sexy Again? 

Gabriella Novak

Elections are popularity contests. Or at least that’s how Senator Mallory McMorrow’s Communications Director, Andrew Mamo, sees it. Maybe Democrats have been too quick to blame Elon Musk and the Republican Party’s tightening grip on social media platforms like X for their electoral struggles. When it comes to young voters, who crave authenticity and cultural relevance, the party’s message often feels out of touch or stale. “We need cooler, hotter people to run the Democratic Party,” Mamo argued, “because if you are lame, you’re not the winning team—and people don’t want to join the losing team.”

Therefore, the question remains: Can Democrats shed the stodgy, elitist label without losing their intellectual backbone? The pressure is mounting as younger voters, who hold the keys to future majorities, increasingly seek connection beyond the ballot box: a sense that their leaders speak their language and live their realities. The Obama era set a precedent for viral enthusiasm, but the electorate today is a different kind of animal—fragmented, skeptical, and demanding something more than smart speeches and sharp policy proposals. The Democrats need a new playbook. To reclaim its edge, the party must feel young, relevant, and irresistible to a new generation. As Justin Timberlake put it, “It’s time to bring sexy back.”