Chicago Alderman Raymond Lopez delivered a scathing critique of the modern Democratic Party during an appearance on Newsmax’s “Carl Higbie Frontline” Friday, warning that the party has strayed far from its roots as a champion of the working class. Lopez expressed frustration that Democrats, like Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, are more focused on using President Donald Trump as a political scapegoat than addressing real issues plaguing cities like Chicago.
Lopez argued that Democrats used to stand for the working man, describing a party that once cared about helping those in need. “We were not the party of the elites,” Lopez said. “We were the party of the working man, the empathetic party that would lift you up when you needed help. Where did that party go?”
He warned that the Democratic Party has become the party of elitism, telling voters what’s important instead of listening to their concerns. “More often than not, now, the Democratic Party is the party that chooses to tell you what’s important, not what is important to you,” Lopez said. He predicted the party will continue to lose elections unless it refocuses on the priorities of voters.
Lopez also took direct aim at Mayor Brandon Johnson and other Democrats for deflecting blame onto President Trump instead of taking responsibility for the crime and economic challenges facing Chicago. He accused Johnson of using Trump as a distraction from the city’s real problems. Lopez said the Democratic Party must stop pointing fingers and start addressing issues in the neighborhoods they claim to serve.
Lopez’s comments reflect growing frustration among some Democrats who feel their party has abandoned the voters who once formed its backbone. Many working-class Americans, especially in cities like Chicago, are grappling with rising crime, economic instability, and a lack of accountability from their leaders. Lopez argues that instead of addressing these real issues, Democrats have become obsessed with virtue signaling and partisan attacks on President Trump, leaving everyday citizens behind.
Chicago, under Mayor Brandon Johnson’s leadership, continues to face surging crime, deteriorating public services, and budgetary mismanagement. Yet Johnson and other Democratic leaders repeatedly deflect responsibility, blaming Trump and Republicans rather than fixing their own cities. Lopez’s bold statements highlight a growing divide within the Democratic Party—between elites focused on political narratives and those like Lopez, who want the party to return to its working-class roots.
