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A century ago, in December 1924, Franklin Delano Roosevelt sent a circular letter to Democrats across the country, asking a simple but powerful question: What does it mean to be a Democrat?
That letter helped unify a fractured Party and laid the foundation for the New Deal — a vision that rebuilt America and restored faith in how government could serve its people.
Our Party — and our nation — stand at a similar crossroads today.
Over the past several weeks, I’ve been listening to local Democrats in Dutchess County, New York — FDR’s home county and mine — about how we can renew our shared sense of mission. Their response inspired me.
This week, I mailed a new Letter to Democrats to every Democratic County Committee across New York, seeking input on the same vital question from a century ago: What does it mean to be a Democrat?
This is about renewal, not reinvention. Resistance to Donald Trump and the threat he and his Republican allies pose to American families is necessary, but it’s not enough. We have to give Americans something to believe in again.
Democrats must unite behind a clear mission: who we’re fighting for and what we stand for — not just what we are against.
Nowhere is that more important than right here in New York, where what we say and do as Democrats helps define the Party nationally. And that renewal has to start with local, rank-and-file Democrats — the people who organize, volunteer, and keep this Party alive in every community.
The goal is simple: to listen, learn, and unite Democrats around a common purpose — to clearly define what it means to be a Democrat.
I’m inviting you to be part of that same conversation.
Share your thoughts: What Does It Mean to Be a Democrat? [ [link removed] ]
Below is the full text of the letter mailed this week to Democratic Party leaders across New York:
14 October, 2025
My Fellow Democrats,
In 1924, the Democratic Party was at a crossroads after a crushing defeat and a bitterly contested convention. The Party was fractured—progressives and conservatives, urban and rural, North and South—and the American people no longer knew what Democrats stood for.
At that moment, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, then a young party leader, wrote a circular letter to Democrats across the country. He invited responses on the ideas he believed the Party should unite behind—chief among them, the need for a consistent message that defined the Democratic Party, rather than one that shifted with each election or candidate. FDR asked a simple but vital question: What does it mean to be a Democrat?
That letter sparked reflection and helped shape FDR’s political vision and led to the New Deal.
A century later, we find ourselves in a similar moment of division and doubt—both as a Party and as a nation.
I’m sending this letter to Democratic leaders across New York because what happens here matters far beyond our state. New York is the media capital of the world, and what we say and do defines how Americans see our Party. That gives us not just visibility, but responsibility.
Like FDR, I’m asking for your help in answering a question that will define our future:
What does it mean to be a Democrat?
I’m asking for your input to help shape a renewed statement of our Party’s values and mission—one that unites us and shows Americans who we are and what we stand for.
Let me tell you why I’m asking this question—and how I came to it.
I haven’t always been a Democrat. For most of my life, I was an Independent—especially during nearly 15 years in counterterrorism roles at CIA and the White House serving under presidents of both parties.
I chose to become a Democrat in 2020 because I saw a Party still fighting for something bigger than itself: protecting our democracy and defending the promise of America. Two years later, I won the Democratic nomination for Congress in New York’s 21st District, challenging Rep. Elise Stefanik—the most powerful Republican in our state.
Our campaign outperformed statewide Democrats like Governor Hochul and Senator Schumer in a deep-red district, but we were swept up in the “red wave” that saw an 11-point average shift to the right in districts across New York.
That election cycle revealed a deeper problem that long predates 2022 and persists today: too many Americans aren’t sure what Democrats stand for anymore. They know what we’re against—but not always what we’re for. Worse, a damaging stereotype has taken hold—one that paints Democrats as weak, out of touch, or lacking conviction.
Recent polls show 60% of Americans view the Democratic Party unfavorably. Even among Democrats, confidence in our Party has fallen to historic lows. There’s been more than enough analysis and finger-pointing about how we got here. What matters now is how we move forward.
Failing to offer a clear, consistent answer to the challenges facing Americans puts us at risk of becoming a permanent minority in a nation desperate for strength and progress.
We live in an age of uncertainty and insecurity. Across America, people are doing everything right and still falling behind. They worry about the economy, their family’s safety, their children’s future, and the stability of our democracy. They want leaders who understand that—and who will fight for them.
Democrats should be those leaders. But too often, our message is muddled by internal divisions—progressives and moderates, left and center—that distract from what unites us. We don’t need to agree on everything, but we do need to agree on who we’re fighting for and what we stand for.
More than anything, Democrats need unity of mission.
Missing from the national discussion about our future are the voices of local, rank and file Democrats who are the vital, animating force that keep the Party alive.
So, like FDR a century ago, I began by asking questions—starting where he once shook hands with neighbors: Dutchess County, New York—his home county and mine.
Over the past several weeks, I’ve asked members of the Dutchess County Democratic Committee: What does it mean to you to be a Democrat?
Their answers were thoughtful and deeply resonant:
“Being a Democrat means protecting those who can’t protect themselves.”
“It means fairness and opportunity for everyone, not just the wealthy few.”
“It means service—putting people before politics.”
From those inputs, a common theme is beginning to emerge—an idea still taking shape, rooted in three simple principles:
Protect. Empower. Serve.
Together, these ideas begin to form a vision and renewed mission I call Security for All.
These ideas didn’t come from a think tank. They came from everyday Democrats who believe in what our Party can be and how to rebuild the American Dream, together.
But this is only the beginning of the conversation. Now, I’m asking for your input on the same question: What does it mean to be a Democrat?
I hope you’ll join this effort to help shape the future of our Party. This isn’t about one person’s vision. It’s about listening, learning, and leading together.
In the weeks ahead, I’ll gather and share the responses I receive so that together, we can see the common threads that unite us and begin shaping a renewed statement of purpose.
Please share your input by writing to:
Google Form Link: What Does It Mean to Be a Democrat? [ [link removed] ]
Nearly a century ago, Democrats found renewal through reflection, courage, and a new generation of leaders like FDR who challenged the Party to unify and meet the moment.
In FDR’s time, Republican policies drove our nation into depression and despair. Today, we face an even graver peril—forces that threaten our freedoms, divide our people, and deepen the insecurity families feel every day.
The stakes are high, and our nation needs us again—to protect, empower, and serve the American people once more. To answer the politics of fear with a mission rooted in security. Together, we can renew the strength of our Party—and the promise of America.
I look forward to hearing from you.
With gratitude and resolve,
Matt Castelli
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