Former Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan has called for a “complete reset” of the Democratic Party, describing it as “toxic in so many places” following Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss to President-elect Donald Trump. Ryan’s remarks, made during an appearance on MSNBC’s The Weekend, reflect growing concerns within the party about its messaging and connection with working-class voters.

“Our brand is toxic,” Ryan said bluntly. “We need a total rebranding. People want to trust us, but we didn’t give them enough reasons to.”

Ryan, who represented Ohio for 20 years before losing a Senate race to Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, criticized the party for failing to effectively promote key legislative achievements like the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act. He argued these initiatives could have showcased Democrats’ commitment to rebuilding America’s industrial base.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., echoed similar sentiments, stating, “A Democratic Party which has abandoned working-class people would find that the working class has abandoned them.”

Ryan urged the party to focus on economic growth and reindustrialization, advocating a return to the messaging style of Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign, which emphasized job creation and domestic policy with the slogan, “It’s the economy, stupid.”

Democratic strategist James Carville also weighed in, lamenting the party’s damaged reputation. “The damage done to the Democratic brand is almost unfathomable,” Carville said on his podcast, Politics War Room.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)