A revealing moment at a Democratic National Committee meeting this week is drawing attention after New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham suggested that Democratic women alone could carry the party to victory in 2028.
The comments came during a lengthy Democratic National Committee Rules and Bylaws Committee meeting in Washington, D.C., where state leaders made their case for receiving coveted early-state status in the party’s 2028 presidential nominating calendar. What was supposed to be a procedural discussion about election scheduling instead produced a remark that immediately stood out.
“If women — Democratic women — just show up and vote, we’re good. We don’t need any of the men,” Grisham said while discussing Democratic voter turnout.
The line quickly became the headline from the meeting, especially given the Democratic Party’s ongoing struggles with male voters. Although Grisham later clarified her comments, the statement landed at a time when Democrats are still dissecting what went wrong in 2024.
🚨 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
Moments before the governor spoke, another New Mexico official highlighted the state’s record of electing women to public office, noting that New Mexico has one of the highest percentages of female legislators in the country. Grisham used that point to emphasize the importance of female voter participation, but her wording immediately raised eyebrows.
Recognizing the reaction her statement could generate, Grisham quickly walked it back.
“I want the men,” she added. “I am greedy.”
She then acknowledged what many Democrats have been discussing since Kamala Harris’ loss in 2024: the party cannot afford to write off any demographic group.
“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.”
That admission may have been the more important takeaway.
The Democratic Party’s post-election analysis has repeatedly pointed to growing problems with male voters. Harris maintained an advantage among women during the 2024 election, but Donald Trump significantly expanded his support among men, particularly younger men. According to post-election data, Trump won a majority of male voters under age 50, a notable shift from 2020.
Even the Democratic Party’s own internal review reportedly acknowledged the problem. An incomplete draft of the party’s post-election analysis noted that the national campaign struggled with male voter engagement and recognized that male voters require direct outreach. What the report reportedly lacked, however, was a clear strategy for how to reverse those trends.
That reality makes Grisham’s comments particularly notable. While she was clearly attempting to celebrate Democratic women and their political influence, the remark inadvertently highlighted one of the party’s biggest challenges heading into the next presidential cycle.
Democrats have traditionally relied on strong support from women voters, but recent election results suggest that coalition alone may not be enough. Grisham herself appeared to recognize that fact moments after making the comment that generated headlines.
