Core Beliefs
- Social justice: Democrats believe that everyone deserves equal opportunities and protections, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or socioeconomic status.
- Economic fairness: Democrats believe that the economy should work for everyone, not just the wealthy. They support policies that raise wages, create jobs, and expand access to affordable healthcare, education, and housing.
- Environmental protection: Democrats believe that we have a responsibility to protect the environment for future generations. They support policies that combat climate change, reduce pollution, and conserve natural resources.
- Strong national defense: Democrats believe that we must have a strong national defense to protect our country from threats abroad. They support policies that provide funding for the military and intelligence agencies, and that promote diplomacy and international cooperation.
Policy Positions
- Healthcare: Democrats support the Affordable Care Act and other policies that expand access to affordable healthcare. They believe that healthcare is a right, not a privilege, and that everyone should have access to quality care.
- Education: Democrats believe that every child deserves a quality education, regardless of their background. They support policies that increase funding for public education, expand access to early childhood education, and make college more affordable.
- Environment: Democrats believe that we must take bold action to combat climate change and protect the environment. They support policies that reduce pollution, promote clean energy, and conserve natural resources.
- Gun violence: Democrats believe that we must take common-sense steps to reduce gun violence. They support policies that expand background checks, ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and invest in mental health services.
- Immigration: Democrats believe that we are a nation of immigrants, and that we should welcome those who come to our country seeking a better life. They support policies that provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, and that protect the rights of all immigrants.
Electoral History
Democrats have controlled the White House for 16 of the last 28 years, and they currently hold the majority in the House of Representatives. However, they lost control of the Senate in the 2014 midterm elections.
Demographics
Democrats are a diverse coalition that includes people from all backgrounds, races, and religions. However, they tend to be more concentrated in urban areas, among younger voters, and among people with higher levels of education.