**Rep. Ro Khanna Highlights Economic Focus as Path Forward for Democrats Post-2024 Election**

In the aftermath of the challenging 2024 election results, Rep. Ro Khanna is urging the Democratic Party to prioritize economic issues moving forward. Khanna, speaking on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" on Sunday, noted that the party's failure to present a compelling economic vision contributed significantly to their losses.

President-elect Donald Trump secured a substantial victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, with the Democrats losing crucial support from various demographic groups since the 2020 election. Khanna, representing the progressive wing of the party, attributed the fragmentation within the Democratic coalition to the inadequacies of the party's economic message.

Khanna emphasized the need for the Democratic Party to focus on addressing the economic challenges faced by a broad spectrum of Americans. He stated, "The Democratic Party should have one simple mission, and that is to address the economic hardships and struggles of many Americans. Not just working-class Americans - a large slice of Americans who feel the American Dream has slipped away for their families and their kids."

Highlighting the importance of new congressional voices like Reps. Pat Ryan, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, and Chris Deluzio, Khanna believes that telling a better economic story that includes raising the minimum wage, addressing child care issues, and building new factories could unify the party. According to Khanna, this focus on economic issues can bridge the gap between moderates and progressives and appeal to Latino, Black, and White working-class voters. "We have a better vision than Donald Trump on that," Khanna asserted.

While some Democrats argue that identity politics overshadowed the economic message during the campaign, Khanna maintained that the party should not abandon social issues. He stated, "I don't think we should run away from issues like standing up for transgender rights and equal rights." Khanna urged Democrats to stand by their convictions while emphasizing economic issues.

Reflecting on the specific challenges faced in Michigan, Khanna pointed to Harris's loss of support in Arab American areas due to the policies on Gaza. He suggested that a more critical approach to the policy failures on Gaza could have bolstered support among young people and progressives, potentially changing the outcome in Michigan.

Amidst discussions about President Biden's late exit from the race and endorsement of Harris, which has drawn some criticism from within the party, Khanna defended the decision. He found it contradictory for Democrats to praise Biden's decision as honorable initially, only to criticize it later. Khanna also described the Harris campaign as winnable, attributing the loss to a failure to listen to people's economic concerns on the ground.

Despite the setbacks, Khanna remains hopeful about the future, believing that the Democrats possess the substance necessary to win by focusing on the right issues.