New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham sparked discussion Wednesday after joking that Democrats could win future elections without male voters, before later clarifying that the party cannot afford to lose support from any demographic group.
Grisham made the comments during a Democratic National Committee Rules and Bylaws Committee meeting in Washington, D.C., where party officials and state leaders gathered to discuss the 2028 presidential nominating calendar. The lengthy meeting focused on which states should receive early voting status during the next Democratic presidential primary process.
During New Mexico’s presentation, state officials highlighted what they described as strong political participation among women, particularly Democratic women. One official noted that New Mexico has one of the highest percentages of women serving in elected office and boasts one of the most female-dominated state legislatures in the country.
Building on those remarks, Grisham emphasized the importance of women voters to Democratic electoral success.
“If women — Democratic women — just show up and vote, we’re good. We don’t need any of the men,” she said, drawing attention both inside and outside the meeting.
Moments later, however, the governor shifted her tone and acknowledged the challenges Democrats face in building broad electoral coalitions.
“We can’t lose anyone,” Grisham said. “We should be winning by stunning margins given the shape of this country and the issues that we’re all battling every single day for the people that we love in our communities.”
She argued that Democratic candidates should be performing better nationally given the issues they campaign on, but acknowledged that elections remain highly competitive.
🚨 JUST IN: New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham says Democratic women alone can secure elections without male voters:
“If women, Democratic women, just show up and vote, we’re good. We don’t need any of the men.”pic.twitter.com/ZDBkfGFKYF
— The Rubin Report (@RubinReportShow) May 28, 2026
“Should be no contest,” she added. “But it is.”
Grisham later clarified that she was not dismissing the importance of male voters. Instead, she stressed that Democrats need support from every demographic group.
“I want the men,” she said. “I am greedy. Losing anyone — and that’s been, I think, part of the Democratic Party’s national branding problem. We focus on a group.”
Her comments come as Democrats continue to examine voting patterns from recent election cycles, particularly among male voters. Women have consistently favored Democratic presidential candidates in modern elections, while Republicans have generally performed better among men.
In the 2024 presidential election, former Vice President Kamala Harris won women voters by a modest margin, while Donald Trump maintained a significant advantage among male voters. Analysts noted that Trump’s gains among younger men played a key role in shaping the final outcome.
Democratic strategists have increasingly focused on the party’s challenges with male voter outreach. A leaked internal review of the 2024 election reportedly cited difficulties engaging men and acknowledged that the campaign struggled to connect with some segments of the male electorate.
The report concluded that male voters require more direct engagement from Democratic candidates and campaigns. However, critics noted that the review offered few concrete proposals for how the party should improve its appeal among those voters.
