As American voters start to pay greater attention to what is expected to be a very close presidential election in 2024, both Democrats and Republicans need to read a recent posting by Ruy Teixeira on The Liberal Patriot. The headline of his post is: “It’s Official! The Democrats Have a Nonwhite Voter Problem.”

What makes this post especially noteworthy is that Teixeira is the co-author of “The Emerging Democratic Majority,” a book that suggested that demography was destiny for the Democratic Party. Teixeira and his co-author, John Judis, explained that by extrapolating demographic trends, the total number of nonwhite voters in America would eventually make up nearly a quarter of the electorate. It further suggested that if these voters voted solidly Democratic, they would provide a formidable advantage for Democratic candidates, especially, but not limited to, Democratic presidential candidates. As a result, it predicted that the Democratic Party could dominate American politics for the foreseeable future.

The key words are “if these voters voted solidly Democratic.”

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Recently, polling of nonwhite voters suggests they are not likely to vote solidly Democratic in the 2024 presidential election and perhaps beyond.

A recent survey conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago and the American Enterprise Institute’s Survey Center on American Life reports the following: 57 percent of nonwhite voters say President Joe Biden has accomplished little or nothing during his time in office. Close to 50 percent consider the Democratic Party too extreme, think it bases decisions more on politics than common sense, and support policies that interfere too much in people’s lives. Over two-fifths do not see the Democrats as sharing their values. And over a third think Democrats look down on people like them, do not value hard work, and aren’t patriotic.

In The Liberal Patriot’s recent survey of American voters conducted by YouGov, most nonwhite voters believe the Democratic Party has moved too far left on both economic and cultural/social issues. On economic issues, 57 percent of these voters say Democrats have moved too far left. On cultural and social issues, 56 percent say the same.

All these numbers lead one to ask what is next. It all depends on if and how the Republican Party and the Democratic Party adjust their election strategies going forward.

It will be interesting to see if or how each party may maximize their opportunities and minimize their risks.

Democrats could win back support from disgruntled nonwhites and select disgruntled white voters with two strategies. The first is addressing a growing perception by nonwhite voters that their longtime and solid support of Democratic candidates has been taken for granted. The second is embracing more moderate positions and actions on a wide range of economic and social issues.

Republicans could also employ two strategies to recruit and retain support from disgruntled nonwhite voters. The first is addressing the perception that the GOP is an exclusive club that does not understand or care about nonwhite voters. The second is working more effectively on engaging, energizing, and mobilizing nonwhite voters whose views are in sync with Republican positions and actions on public policy issues to vote Republican.

For both parties, pursuing these strategies has significant risks. Democrats risk alienating younger progressives, who by nature are resistant to compromise and who are a steadily growing number of voters within the Democratic Party.

Republicans risk alienating older conservatives who, by nature, are resistant to change, like expanded voter outreach and get-out-the-vote efforts with nonwhite voters.

Between now and November 2024, it will be interesting to see if or how each party (assuming no third parties are viable) may maximize their opportunities and minimize their risks to accomplish the two goals of every political party: win elections and then govern in such a way to avoid the consequences of “buyer’s remorse” in subsequent elections.

David Reel is a public affairs/public relations consultant who serves as a trusted advisor on strategy, advocacy, and media matters. Born and raised in Harrisburg, he was formerly active in the government and political arenas in Harrisburg and in Philadelphia. He now lives, works, and writes in Easton, Maryland.