The DNC Autopsy: Sit Down, STFU, and Listen to Rick Wilson

The DNC Autopsy: Sit Down, STFU, and Listen to Rick Wilson

From The Lincoln Project by The Lincoln Project

May 22, 2026 · 30 min

About this episode

Rick Wilson discusses the DNC's internal report on their electoral failures and the disconnect with working-class voters.

The DNC autopsy is finally here—and it’s a brutal admission that Democrats spent 2024 fighting online culture wars while voters were worried about inflation, paychecks, rent, and the future of the country. Rick Wilson breaks down the Democrats’ redacted internal report, the consultant class cashing $40K checks to lose elections, the identity politics obsession that alienated working-class voters, and why normal Americans tuned out the party’s messaging. This is the Democratic Party’s postmortem on how they lost the economy argument, lost swing voters, and lost touch with reality. • • • • • Rick Wilson is on X at @TheRickWilson, on Bluesky at @TheRickWilson.bsky.social, and you can check out Rick's Substack at therickwilson.substack.com . You can check out more of LP's work at www.lincolnproject.us and on X at @ProjectLincoln. Go to https://bollandbranch.com/lincoln , and use the code ‘LINCOLN,’ for 20% off + free shipping. #ad Go to https://ethos.com/lincolnproject to get your free quote. #ad

People in this episode

Host: The Lincoln Project

Guest: Rick Wilson

Topics covered

  • DNC autopsy
  • Democratic Party
  • elections
  • working-class voters
  • inflation
  • identity politics
  • political messaging

Keywords

  • DNC autopsy
  • Rick Wilson
  • Democrats
  • elections
  • inflation
  • working-class
  • political messaging
  • identity politics

Sponsors

Bolland Branch, Ethos

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Democratic Party, Lincoln Project

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