Democrats need to change. That’s the post-2024 election message U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, D-Mass., delivered to a crowd of more than 80 people gathered in Filene Auditorium on Feb. 18.
“We should have cleaned up from school board to president of the United States,” Moulton said, pointing out that Donald Trump ran as an indicted felon who many in his own party disliked. “It should have been the easiest election in our lifetimes. So I think Democrats really do need to look ourselves in the mirror right now and say, ‘What are we doing wrong that by definition we have lost touch with a majority of Americans?’”
The talk, which was also livestreamed, was moderated by Russell Muirhead, the Robert Clements Professor of Democracy and Politics, the co-author of two books about democracy, and a Democratic member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
Beatrice Burack ’25 introduced Moulton and Muirhead for the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Public Policy, which organized the event.
Muirhead began by asking what it was like to serve in Congress “in these dark days for Democrats?”
Moulton’s answer was simple: “Well, it’s not great,” he said to laughter. “It’s not exactly our high point.”
Moulton believes that his party has a huge opportunity to bring in Republican and independent voters who don’t like President Trump and his policies. But too many of them say that Democrats are out of touch.
“So let’s get back in touch with Americans,” Moulton said. “Let’s do more listening to voters, instead of preaching down to them.”
Part of the problem, Muirhead suggested, was that he had trouble putting his finger on Democrats’ alternatives to two of Trump’s biggest domestic pushes, immigration and tariffs. “I mean, what are we for?” he asked.
Moulton agreed that it isn’t enough to be against Trump and his policies. “We have to say what we would do instead,” he said.
Not everyone may like what Trump is doing, but people give him credit for at least doing something, Moulton said, even if that something is bad for national security, the rule of law, and the Constitution.
“But if Democrats don’t have an alternative, that’s a real problem,” Moulton said.
Muirhead changed topics to ask about Trump’s foreign policy, which he felt got less attention than the administration’s domestic efforts.
Moulton, who served four tours in Iraq as a Marine infantry officer, thinks that Trump’s foreign policy could be even more dangerous. He’s seen as weak by adversaries such as China and Russia, according to Moulton, which is bad for deterring threats. At the same time, allies in Europe and Asia worry about American commitments to stand with them in case of conflicts.
Moulton said that Trump and adviser Elon Musk see the world as spheres of influence, where Russia has a big say in the European sphere, China has a big say in the Asian sphere, and in the Americas, we’re focused on renaming the Gulf of Mexico.
“The implications of this, I think, are very dangerous for national security and our own safety here at home,” Moulton said.
To stand against the administration’s policies, Moulton argued that Democrats need to be open to reforming their leadership to include members from less safe, liberal districts; to show that they recognize problems, such as housing and inflation, and propose solutions; and to be strategic when responding to Trump because they are the minority party in Congress.
“But I’m concerned right now that we haven’t embraced the fact that we need to change, that we need to do things differently if we’re going to win, and therefore it’s not a sure thing that we’re going to win back the House in 2026,” he said.
When the audience was invited to ask questions, a young voter from Moulton’s district north of Boston wondered why the Democratic Party leadership seemed at odds with Moulton.
“They have enough problems fighting Republicans that they shouldn’t be quarreling with common-sense Democrats,” he said.
Moulton said that his willingness to speak about controversial topics has caused some blowback — for example, the congressman is facing criticism for recent comments questioning how Democrats talk about trans athletes in high school—but other people have quietly thanked him for standing up to his own party’s orthodoxy.
Samantha Bevins ’25, who is co-president of Dartmouth Democrats, said that while seniors like herself are discouraged about taking government jobs right now, they’re still passionate about making a difference. She asked Moulton for his advice to graduating seniors.
Moulton acknowledged that people sometimes ask why he stays in government, given the acrimony and division. But he pointed to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which he helped create through Congress, as a way his efforts save “thousands of lives every month.”
“That’s why I keep doing this job,” Moulton said, adding that like his time serving as a Marine, “my work impacts the lives of other people every single day.”
Moulton recognized that Dartmouth students have a lot of job opportunities after graduation, but he hoped that they consider some type of national or government service.
“We need young people like you, especially people talented enough to have gone to a school like this, to be a part of making our government better,” he said.
After his speech, Bevins said she came to Moulton’s talk wondering how to guide younger students interested in government and politics in this unusual time.
“I think he gave us a lot of direction, just keep fighting the good fight,” she said.
Bevins and the Dartmouth Democrats work with Professor Muirhead, keeping an eye on New Hampshire legislation and identifying local issues they care about. As a senior, Bevins isn’t sure what she’ll do after graduation, but she came away more hopeful after hearing Moulton speak.
“I thought it was really inspiring,” she said.
