What is the Democratic Party's base?

[philly_bob]

Sunday morning, MSNBC's Joy Reid said that the Democratic Party's base was "women of color."

After Clinton's primary win, a prominent DU poster said that the victory marked the rise of women and the LGBTQ community as the party's base.

I think in the old days the party's base was considered to be labor unions and the working class.

Has there been a redefinition of the Democratic Party's base?

[alarimer]

1. Well, we need labor unions now more than ever.

But lately their leadership (in some cases) have been sucking up to Trump because of Keystone and DAPL (for the few jobs they will create).

But as a practically matter, the Democratic Party right now cannot ditch their traditional constituencies. They still need the votes. I think it is important to note, though, that the working class includes all sorts of people, not just whites.

The point it, divide and conquer is how Republicans win. It works. They have fooled lots of people to vote against their own best interests and somehow the Democrats have got to find a way through that fog. I don't know what that is, but I don't think it means ditching them altogether.

[frazzled]

2. She is correct

The term base in politics means the most reliable (read: loyal) voters, who will vote for your party's candidate no matter what. Black women top that demographic. They therefore represent the majority of the base.

In politics, the term base refers to a group of voters who almost always support a single party's candidates for elected office.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_(politics)

See statistics here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/04/08/the-10-most-loyal-demographic-groups-for-republicans-and-democrats/?utm_term=.9de06d8063ac

If you have supported a third party candidate in any recent races, you are not part of the base of the Democratic Party. It's not an ideological measure, it's a measure of reliable support.

[philly_bob]

3. Thanks, frazzled. In a political sense, "base" has a different meaning than I thought it had.

I thought base was more aspirational, like a target market in business.

[BainsBane]

4. people of color and single women

Women of color are the most loyal Democratic voters.