Opinion | You can’t build a people's party with guard dogs at the gate

When I sought the Democratic nomination for an open seat in the Michigan State Senate in 2018 as a small business owner and mother, I hoped, win or lose, the party would become my political home. I quickly learned the gates were guarded. I felt like an intruder. Since then, I’ve watched closely, hoping the party would evolve into an inclusive, modern coalition that internally lives its ideals.

A woman dressed in coral and wearing pearls smiles and poses with arms folded in front of green leaves. — Anuja Rajendra has been a Michigan State Senate candidate, a Michigan Political Leadership Program fellow, a TEDxDetroit speaker and a small business owner. (Courtesy photo)

The Michigan Democratic Party’s recent endorsement convention ignored the issues most Michiganders care about and became a spectacle of infighting. Rather than unifying to rebuild public trust, intra-party attacks deepened fractures. The unprecedented turnout was because leaders on polarizing issues packed the tent, not because the party prioritized expanded participation.

If the MDP aspires to become the people’s party, platforms alone won’t win hearts. It must exemplify a mindful culture that values everyone who steps up, learns from volunteers and uses technology to expand participation. These improvements are within MDP’s control. The 2016 presidential election stirred many new voices to step forward, yet the MDP let the momentum fragment.

I remember when I brought my young family to our first party picnic. The only attendees, a handful of officials, met us with icy stares. The chill lingered throughout my campaign, making it clear we didn’t belong. My children, future voters, were already experiencing political exclusion.

A mindful culture is felt in the heart, before any policy is debated. Making people feel wanted is good manners. It’s also a political necessity to earn every vote. Yet self-interest and single-issue politics normalize othering reactions among people nominally on the same team.

Research in the Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs shows that feeling included impacts people’s connection to organizations. Instead of serving as guard dogs at the gate, insiders must welcome newcomers, even in safe blue districts.

Many candidates, and the volunteers and donors they bring, leave without a single follow-up from the MDP. After my four-way primary, where I earned 14,673 votes (26%) and brought first-time voters into the process, I never heard from the party beyond fundraising emails. The message landed: ‘We don’t need you.’

The MDP could model the Pipeline Fund/Hart Research survey of candidates, treating participants’ experiences as assets, and build systems to engage their teams, who all hold institutional memory and voter relationships. An MDP Candidate Alumni Council, convening quarterly with the state chair, would drive mentorship, advising and recruitment.

Imagine every candidate’s first call after primary night ringing from the chair, not a fundraiser. A humble, growth-oriented party would reach out personally and ask, “where can we plug you in?”

Failing to connect causes people to doubt their voices matter. I volunteered in recent elections, yet the party’s inner workings remained closely held secrets. I learned about the convention too late to register. I submitted the required form to confirm my membership and never heard back.

The party is missing a lot of us. The MDP runs events as insular exercises that most Michiganders neither understand nor join. These are lost opportunities to build belonging among the people it cyclically spends millions to win over. A well-governed AI follow-up system would widen participation and prove Democrats can lead on technology and transparency.

Michiganders deserve leadership that cultivates connections beyond insiders and bullhorns. Listening to voters’ anguish and aspirations and finding common ground across the political spectrum were the joys of my campaign. A pro-life student canvassed for me, saying we agreed on the other 90% of issues. Neighbors welcomed us, and organizations like the Black Caucus opened their doors warmly. The establishment and single-issue gatekeepers were the holdouts. Their welcome turned on whether you were known, convenient, or running where ideologues prescribed the path.

Belonging may be discussed in private rooms; however, if Michiganders witness exclusivity at the gate where animosity trumps appreciation, party loyalty will erode, one voter at a time.

Politics means people, and human beings power the party. With summer primaries ahead, the MDP can transcend splintered turbulence and commit to a courageous coalition. The waters of our Great Lakes are wide and clear enough for millions of Michiganders, many currents, one flow. This unity is what a political home feels like. That wins elections.

Opinion | You can’t build a people’s party with guard dogs at the gate

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