Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., delivered a sharp critique of his party in a Washington Post op-ed on Friday. He accused Democrats of silencing opposing opinions and ignoring voters' fears.
"Since Election Day, I’ve learned two things about the Democratic Party: The word police will continue to patrol no matter how badly we lose, and a growing number of us are finally ready to move beyond them to start winning again," Moulton wrote.
Moulton faced backlash from progressives after speaking against transgender athletes in girls' sports. He said the reaction confirmed his belief that Democrats no longer champion free speech.
"Voters want elected officials to give voice to their concerns, not tell them what they should think," he wrote.
Watch the latest video at foxnews.comMoulton argued that Democrats once embraced debate and change. He pointed to fights for Obamacare, abortion rights, and same-sex marriage as examples of the party’s inclusive spirit.
"In every case, we listened, we built trust, and we welcomed those who disagreed into our expanding tent — the definition of a majority party," he wrote. "Just 12 years ago, we even nominated a Democrat who was against gay marriage for president."
But he said the party has shifted, shutting out differing opinions and alienating potential allies.
"Independents and Republicans see what we do to fellow Democrats who disagree with the party line. Why would they think they’d have a prayer with us?" he asked.
Looking ahead to 2024, Moulton warned that ignoring voter concerns about immigration, crime, and the economy was a losing strategy.
"When 94 percent of Americans said they worried about the border crisis, Trump said he’d fix it," he wrote. "Trump, for all his bluster and lies, sees and understands real fears."
Moulton said Democrats risk seeming out of touch. "When Democrats don’t engage honestly on real issues important to Americans, we give the impression that we either don’t understand or, worse yet, simply don’t care," he wrote.
He highlighted an exit poll that showed swing voters felt the party focused too much on cultural issues rather than helping the middle class.
Moulton blamed his party for letting an "easy election" slip away. "We lost the White House to a felon who has alienated many of the Republican faithful," he wrote.
He said voters still chose Trump because he presented a vision, even if it was "twisted and unconscionable."
Moulton urged Democrats to return to their roots and focus on solving problems for working-class Americans. He warned against telling voters "what to think or how to feel."
Earlier this month, he told The New York Times, "Democrats spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone rather than being brutally honest about the challenges many Americans face."
"I have two little girls, I don’t want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat I’m supposed to be afraid to say that," he said.
Since doubling down on these remarks, some Massachusetts Democrats have begun planning to replace him in 2026.