Democrats Grapple with Rebuilding Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Coalition Ahead of Bruising Primaries

Party leaders debate how to unite progressives and moderates to reclaim power in Washington

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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As Democrats prepare for a contentious 2028 presidential primary, party leaders are wrestling with how to rebuild the diverse "Rainbow Coalition" championed by the late civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson. While Jackson's message of inclusion and economic justice inspired a generation of Democrats, the party has struggled to recapture that broad-based appeal in recent years. With Trump's conservative movement making inroads with white working-class and minority voters, Democrats must now decide whether to embrace Jackson's progressive vision or a more pragmatic, problem-solving approach.

Why it matters

Jackson's Rainbow Coalition represented an aspirational model for Democrats, uniting voters across racial, economic and ideological lines. But the party has since fractured, with progressives and moderates often at odds. As Democrats seek to regain power, they must reconcile these divisions and determine how to rebuild a winning coalition that reflects the country's diversity.

The details

In two presidential bids in the 1980s, Jackson mobilized a racially and economically diverse "Rainbow Coalition" of voters. While he lost both contests, his message of inclusion and economic justice became a touchstone for the party. When Barack Obama later won the presidency with a similar coalition, many Democrats saw the Rainbow Coalition as their path to victory. But that vision has frayed in recent years, as Trump's conservative movement has made inroads with white working-class and minority voters who were once core to the Democratic coalition. Now, as the party prepares for a bruising 2028 primary, leaders are debating how to rebuild that winning formula.

  • Jesse Jackson died in February 2023.
  • Jackson ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988.

The players

Jesse Jackson

A prominent civil rights leader who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988, championing a diverse "Rainbow Coalition" of voters.

Donna Brazile

A former chair of the Democratic National Committee and longtime mentee of Jesse Jackson, who began her career as an organizer on his presidential campaigns.

Rev. William Barber

A minister and longtime mentee of Jesse Jackson who serves as co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign, a movement calling for economic justice.

Steven Benjamin

The first Black mayor of Columbia, South Carolina, and a mentee of Jesse Jackson who argues the civil rights leader's pragmatism was key to his broad coalition.

Antjuan Seawright

A Democratic strategist who says the party must learn from Jackson's ability to effectively listen to and engage diverse communities.

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What they’re saying

“What Reverend planted in American politics were seeds that continue to blossom and bloom.”

— Donna Brazile, Former chair of the Democratic National Committee (Associated Press)

“Reverend understood that you needed a roux. In gumbo, you need the seasoning of those who came before but every now and then you also need some new salt. We have to coexist. The moderates need the progressives, and the progressives need the moderates. That's the dance of American politics.”

— Donna Brazile, Former chair of the Democratic National Committee (Associated Press)

“He served to challenge the party as a moral leader. He didn't spend time saying what he was against. He spent all of his time talking about what he was for.”

— Rev. William Barber, Co-chair of the Poor People's Campaign (Associated Press)

“He was incredibly progressive. But he was even more so pragmatic. He was a problem solver.”

— Steven Benjamin, First Black mayor of Columbia, South Carolina (Associated Press)

“We have to learn, as Reverend Jackson and others of his day did so effectively, to listen more than we talk. We have to show up and hear from folks about what their priorities are, instead of showing up, telling people what we think their priority should be.”

— Antjuan Seawright, Democratic strategist (Associated Press)

What’s next

As Democrats prepare for the 2028 presidential primary, party leaders and activists plan to gather for strategy sessions on how to adapt Jesse Jackson's progressive vision for the current political climate.

The takeaway

The Democratic Party's struggle to rebuild the diverse "Rainbow Coalition" championed by Jesse Jackson highlights the ongoing challenge of uniting progressives and moderates to reclaim power in Washington. While Jackson's message of inclusion and economic justice continues to inspire many Democrats, the party must now find a way to translate that vision into a winning electoral strategy in the face of a resurgent conservative movement.