via Latest & Breaking News on Fox News <p>Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., said Sunday that Democrats have failed to connect with working-class voters because the party too often backed "<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dem-potus-potential-takes-aim-own-party-whole-rebrand-needed-amid-trump-resistance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">status quo establishment candidates</a>" unwilling to challenge what he described as a rigged economic system.</p><p>Speaking on "Meet the Press," Khanna weighed in on a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democrats-release-2024-election-autopsy-chair-says-does-not-meet-my-standards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">newly released Democratic National Committee</a> autopsy report examining the party’s 2024 election loss and broader struggles with voters.</p><p>"We do need to recognize that the status quo has failed," Khanna said. "This is a system that has created massive inequality. That the economy is lopsided and unfair, and it’s not working for many working-class and middle-class Americans. And too often we’ve run status quo establishment candidates who have been unwilling to call out an economic and political system that has failed."</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/democrats-retreat-voters-party-no-longer-friend-working-class-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>DEMOCRATS IN RETREAT, WITH VOTERS SAYING THAT THE PARTY IS NO LONGER A ‘FRIEND OF THE WORKING CLASS’: REPORT</strong></a></p><p>Khanna made the remarks after NBC's Kristen Welker cited a passage from the DNC report arguing Democrats have focused too heavily on "winning arguments" while Republicans focused on "<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/blue-state-democrats-issue-scathing-reflection-on-election-loss-were-out-of-touch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">winning elections</a>."</p><p>The California Democrat rejected the idea that Democrats should abandon reasoned debate but acknowledged the party needs a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/ro-khanna-calls-out-failure-leadership-democratic-party-no-plan-beyond-win-default" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stronger economic message</a> aimed at voters struggling financially.</p><p>"I don’t think we need to give up reason," Khanna said. "I think more Americans probably want reason debate in this country."</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dem-party-blame-game-accusations-fly-who-responsible-harris-massive-loss-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>DEM PARTY BLAME GAME: ACCUSATIONS FLY AS TO WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HARRIS' MASSIVE LOSS TO TRUMP</strong></a></p><p>Khanna also reflected on former Vice President <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/person/kamala-harris" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kamala Harris</a> and the report's conclusion that the White House did not do enough over several years to improve her standing before Democrats switched nominees.</p><p>"In retrospect, had she been in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio talking about the economy and been the lead for the president’s economic policies — the Inflation Reduction Act, the American Rescue Plan, the CHIPS Act — perhaps we would have done better," Khanna said.</p><p>Still, Khanna argued Democrats must now focus on <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/progressive-democrat-dismisses-idea-his-struggling-party-needs-another-obama" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rebuilding support among working-class voters</a> heading into future elections.</p><p>"We need to have an economic message that actually is talking to the working-class folks who have been shafted," he said, "and that’s taking on a system that has been rigged."</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/democrats-comeback-retreat-suggests-party-embrace-patriotism-win-back-working-class-voters" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>DEMOCRATS' 'COMEBACK RETREAT' SUGGESTS PARTY TO 'EMBRACE PATRIOTISM' TO WIN BACK WORKING-CLASS VOTERS</strong></a></p><p>Khanna also defended the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dnc-chair-pressure-flipping-releasing-autopsy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DNC Chair Ken Martin</a> as some Democrats call for his resignation following backlash over the handling of the autopsy report.</p><p>"No," Khanna said when asked whether Martin should step down.</p><p>Khanna pointed to Martin’s opposition to super PAC involvement in <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/politics/elections/2023/primary-results" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Democratic primaries</a> and his criticism of superdelegates selecting party nominees as positions he supports.</p><p>"Ken Martin is a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/story/obituary-sen-paul-wellstone-58" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paul Wellstone Democrat</a>," Khanna said. "There are two things he’s done that I actually agree with."</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><u>CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE</u></strong></a></p><p>Khanna added that Martin could have handled the autopsy process better and should work more closely with state parties ahead of the 2026 and 2028 election cycles.</p><p>"Could he have handled this autopsy better? Absolutely," Khanna said. "Should he be working more with state parties to make sure they’re funded into ’26 and ’28? Absolutely. But I don’t believe he should resign."</p><p>The <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/democrats-release-2024-election-autopsy-chair-says-does-not-meet-my-standards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DNC report</a> was commissioned after Democrats’ losses in the 2024 election cycle and was reportedly delayed before its public release amid internal disagreements over its findings and political fallout.</p>