The Democrats’ national identity dilemma: An analysis of US Democratic rhetoric in the 2020 Presidential primary campaign

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Abstract
In national elections, national identity is a great mobiliser of the electorate and candidates strive to cast themselves as embodiments of the nation. Like many conservative parties throughout the world, the Republican party in the United States has an advantage in simplicity through offering a national identity aligned with symbolism, history, and the status quo. National identity on the political left is less clearly understood. This study investigates the rhetoric of American national identity within the Democratic party elite. A qualitative and lexical analysis of speeches from the 2020 Presidential Democratic primary campaign are analysed to identify how national identity is represented and the extent to which this varies across the ideological spectrum within the party. We find differences between party progressives and moderates that may contribute to the challenge of presenting a coherent proposition of American national identity on the political left. Candidates differed as to i) whether change to the country should be through revolution or evolution, ii) the values identified as important to the nation, and iii) the extent to which candidates discussed the country as a symbolic group or a collection of individuals. Implications are discussed for the Democratic and other left of centre parties worldwide.