On Saturday, Feb. 1, the Democratic Nation Committee chose a new party chairperson, Minnesota’s Ken Martin. Martin, the longtime head of the state's Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, promised to be an aggressive national leader.

“This is a new DNC,” he said. “We’re taking the gloves off. I’ve always viewed my role as a chair of the Democratic Party to take the low road, so my candidates and elected officials can take the high road, meaning, I’m going to throw a punch.”

But throwing a punch may not be enough for a party many people think has lost its way.

President Trump’s narrow but decisive victory in the November election, along with the Republican victory in both the House and Senate, have caused a serious crisis of confidence in the Democratic Party. Recent polling only makes matters worse. But neither they nor the November election results spell doom for the Democrats. Rather, they point to the need for a serious internal assessment and some alterations in the party’s message.

A recent Quinnipiac poll found voters evenly divided as to the Republican Party (43 percent favorable versus 45 percent unfavorable), but astoundingly negative in their views about the Democrats. Only 31 percent have a favorable view of the Democrats, versus 57 percent unfavorable.”

A CNN poll found a similarly dismal favorable rating for Democrats at just 33 percent, their lowest rating since 1992. Meanwhile, 58 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents said that "the Democratic Party needs major changes."

Adding to the tale of gloom for Democrats, a New York Times-Ipsos poll

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