You know that feeling when you’re talking to someone and they’re just not getting it? That’s what’s happening to the Democratic Party right now. And it’s showing up in ways that should make conservatives feel pretty good about the future.
The Las Vegas Wake-Up Call
The Progressive Policy Institute just held their “New Directions for Democrats Summit” in Las Vegas on September 12-13, 2025. This wasn’t some right-wing conference. This was Democrats talking to Democrats about how badly they’ve lost working Americans.
The summit brought together top Nevada Democrats including Rep. Susie Lee, Attorney General Aaron Ford, and Assembly Majority Leader Sandra Jauregui. They also had former Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, and even brought in David Evans from the UK’s Labour Party to explain how they won back working voters.
PPI President Will Marshall called Las Vegas “truly one of America’s great working-class cities” where service jobs make up 23 percent of the workforce. But here’s the reality check – Nevada has the highest unemployment rate in the country at 5.6 percent while the national average sits at 4.2 percent.
The think tank held focus groups with regular working folks. These weren’t fancy college graduates or political insiders. These were the people who fix your car, serve your food, and keep the lights on. And boy, did they have some choice words for the Democrats.
They called the party “rudderless,” “woke,” “disorganized,” and “out of touch.”
One voter summed it up perfectly when talking about Trump:
“I don’t care if he destroys the place. At least he’ll change something.”
That’s what happens when people feel ignored by their government for too long.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
In Nevada, 57 percent of voters without college degrees voted for Trump. That’s not some fluke. That’s a pattern we’re seeing nationwide. Working Americans are fed up with being lectured about pronouns when they can’t afford groceries.
The average Nevada family has spent $38,490 more on basic stuff like food and bills since January 2021. When you’re struggling to pay rent, hearing politicians talk about climate change feels like a luxury you can’t afford.
Why This Matters to Conservatives
This is exactly what limited government folks have been saying for years. When government gets too big and tries to control too much, it loses touch with real people. It starts caring more about social engineering than letting families keep more of their own money.
The Democrats’ problem isn’t just messaging. It’s that their policies don’t work for regular Americans. They’ve spent so much time on cultural issues that they forgot about kitchen table concerns.
Assembly Majority Leader Sandra Jauregui from Las Vegas learned this the hard way. She went door-to-door talking about climate change and gun control. But voters kept asking her about jobs and costs. “It felt like a luxury to care about those things when they didn’t know if they could afford rent,” she admitted.
The Opposition’s Response
Democratic leaders are scrambling to fix this. Rep. Susie Lee called Trump “the most effective communicator in political history.” They’re holding summits trying to figure out how to win back working-class voters.
Their solution? Stop talking about cultural issues and focus on economics. But here’s the problem: their economic policies are what got us into this mess in the first place. You can’t tax and regulate your way to prosperity.
What’s Coming Next
The Democrats are planning more of these summits in swing states. They want to rebrand themselves as the party of change. But changing your message isn’t the same as changing your policies.
Meanwhile, Trump’s policies are already working. Yes, some polls show people don’t like tariffs in theory. But when you explain that tariffs bring jobs back to America and make us less dependent on China, the numbers flip.
What Conservatives Should Do
First, don’t get overconfident. The Democrats are at least trying to learn from their mistakes. We need to keep making the case for limited government and economic freedom.
Second, keep focusing on kitchen table issues. Gas prices, grocery costs, job opportunities. These are what matter to families.
Third, remember that this isn’t just about winning elections. It’s about proving that conservative principles work better for real people than big government solutions.
The working class is coming home to the Republican Party because they’re tired of being told what to think by coastal elites. They want leaders who trust them to make their own decisions and keep more of their own money.
That’s exactly what limited government conservatism offers. And the Democrats’ own research proves it’s working.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
