In a surprising move, longtime Democratic campaign operative and fundraiser Evan Barker announced her departure from the Democratic Party, citing disillusionment with its leadership after volunteering at last month’s Democratic National Convention (DNC).

Barker, who has raised tens of millions of dollars for Democratic candidates, expressed disappointment with the party’s detachment from working-class Americans and its reliance on wealthy donors as reasons for her exit, as Fox News reports.

Barker's DNC Experience Shattered Her Confidence

Barker volunteered at the DNC, where Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepted the nomination for president. However, what was supposed to be a reinvigorating experience left her feeling alienated. She described the convention as “glitz and glam” that felt distant from the struggles of ordinary Americans.

The longtime Democrat explained that grew up in a blue-collar, union Democratic family near Kansas City. But for Barker, the DNC became the breaking point after years of growing dissatisfaction. She reflected on the widening disconnect between the party's priorities and the values that shaped her upbringing.

“I felt submersed in a hollow chamber whose mottos were ‘Brat summer’ and ‘Joy,’ -- totally out of touch with regular, everyday Americans and their pressing needs,” Barker wrote in a post. She recalled the Democratic Party of her youth, particularly her involvement in Barack Obama’s campaigns, with fondness. However, she noted that many of her family members no longer identify as Democrats, as they feel the party has abandoned its working-class roots.

Disillusionment With the Party’s Donor Class

Barker’s experience as a fundraising consultant exposed her to the immense influence that wealthy donors have over the party’s policies.

She observed that Democratic donors often shape the direction of the party, much like their Republican counterparts. Yet, she expressed particular frustration with the party’s public denunciation of money in politics, while still benefiting from billionaire support.

“Democrats love to decry money in politics when it comes to the Koch brothers or Elon Musk, but the billionaires who support Democrats are given a total pass,” Barker explained, underscoring what she viewed as hypocrisy within the party’s leadership. According to Barker, this financial influence is a systemic feature, not an anomaly, designed to keep working-class voices marginalized.

Her realization that the system “isn’t broken; it’s doing what it was designed to do” only deepened her disenchantment. Barker no longer believes the party can adequately represent the working class under its current structure.

Barker Criticizes Democratic Foreign Policy

Beyond domestic issues, Barker also voiced strong criticism of the party’s foreign policy stance, particularly its embrace of military spending. She took issue with the $175 billion committed to funding the war in Ukraine, noting that those resources could be better spent rebuilding working-class communities at home.

Barker was particularly troubled by the endorsement Vice President Kamala Harris received from former Vice President Dick Cheney, a key figure from the George W. Bush administration known for his hawkish foreign policies. “The cherry on the cake,” she called it, highlighting her concern over the Democratic Party’s apparent shift toward Bush-era policies.

She expressed frustration that the party has become "the party of war" rather than focusing on domestic issues that would uplift struggling Americans. This, in her view, was emblematic of a larger trend within the party—one that prioritizes the interests of the affluent over the needs of everyday people.

Disconnect With Working-Class Americans

For Barker, the Democratic Party's focus on policies that largely benefit the college-educated and affluent has only further alienated working-class Americans. She specifically pointed to initiatives like student loan forgiveness, which she argued disproportionately help the party’s wealthier base while offering little to those without a four-year degree.

“They peddle giveaways to the college-educated like student loan forgiveness plans, snubbing the majority of the country,” Barker wrote. In her view, these policies reflect a condescending tone that does not speak to the broader electorate but instead focuses on the urban, affluent segments of society.

At the DNC, Barker couldn’t help but reflect on her own shifting political allegiances. “Every time the elites chanted ‘We’re not going back,’ what I heard was, ‘We’re not going back to the party your union family members used to vote for.’” This sentiment, she explained, has become a defining feature of her disillusionment.

The End of Barker’s Political Journey

In a particularly candid moment, Barker described her deep sense of loss after devoting her career to the Democratic Party. “I found myself feeling disenchanted, lost, sad, and alone. As someone who has given her life to Democratic politics, it was devastating,” she wrote.

Despite her hopes of rekindling her passion for the party at the DNC, Barker left the event more certain than ever that her time with the party had come to an end. “But instead of giving me back that feeling, the DNC was where it finally hit me: It’s impossible to unsee what I’ve seen. I can only go forward.”

Barker’s departure from the Democratic Party marks a significant personal and professional turning point. While she didn’t specify her next steps, her sharp critique of the party’s direction underscores the growing frustration among some Democrats who feel the party no longer speaks to their needs.