Joy Behar, co-host of ABC’s The View, stirred major controversy this week by blasting the Democratic Party’s new initiative to reconnect with male voters—suggesting the party should give up entirely on the effort. During a segment on the show, Behar dismissed the $20 million outreach campaign as a “waste of money,” instead proposing that Democrats should focus on “teaching men to not be such sexists.”
Her remarks were met with applause from the show’s liberal audience, but also swift pushback from co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin, who called the statement divisive and shortsighted. Griffin pointed out that President Trump made significant gains among male voters in the 2024 election, particularly with working-class white men, Hispanic men, and even among younger Black men.
“You don’t win elections by insulting voters,” Griffin said. “Trump connected with these men because he talked about jobs, security, and strength—things they feel Democrats have forgotten.”
The Democratic Party’s initiative, dubbed “Speaking with American Men: A Strategic Plan,” aims to understand why male support has steadily eroded and how the party can win back trust. Yet Behar’s comments reflect a growing tension within the party: whether to engage disaffected voters with policy and empathy, or to continue relying on identity-driven narratives that cast certain groups as inherently problematic.
Behar’s position reinforces a broader perception that elite voices within the Democratic coalition are out of touch with everyday Americans—especially men who feel alienated by the party’s messaging on gender and cultural issues. Her suggestion that all male disengagement stems from sexism was blasted by critics as both inaccurate and insulting.
Conservatives seized on Behar’s comments as evidence of the Democratic Party’s growing disdain for large segments of the population. Republican strategists noted that while Democrats debate whether men are worth the effort, President Trump continues to build momentum among precisely those voters.
With the 2026 midterms on the horizon, the question remains: will Democrats try to win back the millions of men who have walked away—or will voices like Behar’s steer the party further into an echo chamber of cultural resentment?
One thing is clear: dismissing male voters as a lost cause may be the most self-destructive strategy Democrats could adopt.