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Troy Price is combining realism with optimism as he assumes leadership of the Iowa Democratic Party.

Price was elected July 22 as chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party. He arrives on the job later than usual he is replacing Derek Eadon, who was elected in January but was forced to step aside due to health reasons.

The Iowa Democratic Partys leader, whomever it was going to be, was to face a daunting task regardless of starting date. Iowa Democrats are trying to rebound after consecutive disastrous elections in 2014 and 2016.

Price gets the additional hurdle of starting on the job a half-year later than usual.

I visited with Price last week, and during a 25-minute interview he was realistic about the challenges he faces but also optimistic about the opportunity Democrats have in the 2018 election.

Theres a lot to get done. I would say that our party infrastructure is not where it needs to be right now, Price said, adding later, The timing piece of it is a challenge. Theres no question about that. Were jumping in in the middle of this thing.

But Ill say this: Im confident we can get this work done because Ive seen how hard our activists are working out there. Ive seen how hard our party is working, Price said. Ive seen all this great energy and activism out there. Weve got a lot of people who want to get to work.

Price does not come into the job blind. He is a former executive director of the state party.

He said his first two tasks in the state party job were to strengthen the party infrastructure and to develop a message the party can offer to voters in 2018.

The latter will be important as Democrats try to learn from their 2016 losses. One common criticism, from within the party and out, is Democrats did not have a message that resonated with voters.

The message of the party is fractured and has been over the last few cycles, Price said. We have focused way too much on specific tactics or specific issue messages, not necessarily focusing on the overall message: Why it is that people should vote for the Democratic Party? Why it is that we deserve to be in government?

People dont believe that we have their back. We have to do a better job of that, and we have to go out there and develop this message that says were going to fight for you, we have always fought for you, and we will be there to fight for you in government. So give us a chance to do that.

Iowa Democratic candidates in 2018 will use the 2017 legislative session as a rallying cry against Republicans. The GOP-led Legislature and governor approved conservative legislation on public employee collective bargaining, workers compensation laws, voter ID requirements and funding for prenatal health care provider Planned Parenthood, among other things.

But Price said Democrats must avoid focusing too much on railing against their opponents without offering their own vision.

That remains a frequent criticism of Hillary Clintons unsuccessful 2016 presidential campaign: The Clinton campaign focused too much on trying to tell voters why they felt Republican candidate Donald Trump was a bad choice.

We have to give them a reason to vote, Price said. Its easy for us just to fall into the trap of, Were not as bad as those guys, so give us a chance. Well, that is not a winning message. We need to give people a reason to believe in what the Democratic Party stands for and that were going to have their back.

The 2018 election is critical for Iowa Democrats. It is their next opportunity to reverse the tide that has swept them in the past two elections. And with a victory in the race for governor or, less likely, enough victories in the Iowa House or Senate races they can limit Republicans full control of the state lawmaking agenda to just two years.

It is a big challenge for the party, and a big challenge for Price. I asked him why he ran for state party chairman, why he wanted to face that challenge. I reminded him hes been around long enough he knew well what he was getting into, and asked why he did.

He chuckled and paused briefly.

I got into this because I believe in this party and I believe in the future of our party, he said. I have been very frustrated with where our party has ended up in recent years. Ive seen it from both sides, both as executive director of the party and also working for candidates and also ... from the nonprofit, progressive side.

So Ive seen the challenges that this party faces. And Ive watched as the party has faced even greater challenges as the years have gone by in recent years. I want to do my part to help reverse that tide and to help grow the party in the way it needs to go.

Erin Murphy covers Iowa politics and government for Lee Enterprises. Email him atis erin.murphy@lee.net

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Democrats' new leader braces for challenges - Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier

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Democrats see chance to win back working class whites - Sacramento Bee

At the age of 70 years old, Donald Trump became the oldest person to enter the presidency following his election. But some are focusing on House Democrats being too old to lead.

During her appearance on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace, Wallace asked House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi if shes frankly, too old, to lead, mentioning Democratic House members who have said Democrats need new leaders with new ideas.

I am a master legislator, Pelosi bragged. I feel very confident about the support I have in my caucus.

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U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks about his proposed U.S. government effort against the street gang Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, to a gathering of federal, state and local law enforcement officials in Brentwood, New York, U.S. July 28, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

The show featured a graphic showing the ages of Democratic House leaders. Pelosi is 77, while House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer is 78 and Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn is 77.

Wallace mentioned Democratic losses in four special elections in solidly-Republican districts.

Some of your own Democratic colleagues in the House have said part of the problem is you and you leadership team are frankly, too old. And the question I have is, do Democrats need new leaders with new ideas? he asked.

Some younger Democrats have been calling for changes on the leadership team, especially following the Democrats loss in a highly-publicized Georgia special election.

This is certainly something that we have to discuss because it's clear that, I think, across the board in the Democratic Party we need new leadership, Massachusetts Congressman Seth Moulton said. It's time for a new generation of leadership in the party.

Trump famously said his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, who was 69 on election day, doesnt have the stamina to be president. Clinton and Trumps 2016 campaign featured the oldest combination of the two major-party nominees. Neither candidate provided much information about their health as Trump allies pushed unfounded theories that Clinton was ill.

The president is known for his affinity for Diet Coke and junk food, but did run a fast-paced campaign with a grueling travel schedule. A letter from his personal physician, Harold Bornstein, was widely criticized after Bornstein declared unequivocally that Trump would be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.

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Fox News Says Democrats Are Too Old, But Trump Is Oldest President To Enter White House - Newsweek

The simple truth is the economy isn't working the way it should; incomes and wages are not keeping up with the cost of living. Wage stagnation, underemployment, the exploding cost of a college education and the erosion of pensions are leaving many without hope. From rural towns to inner cities, millions can no longer achieve the American dream. Meanwhile, Washington special interests and powerful corporations have acquired more and more wealth.

The three of us represent very different districts in Rhode Island, New York and Illinois. Despite the clear regional differences, what we hear from our constituents is the same: They are tired of this rigged system. What they want most is a fighting chance at building a brighter future for themselves and their families. And what they need is a better deal.

Democrats will deliver real solutions, lasting economic growth and take significant action to improve the lives of the American people.

This agenda was created from the ground up across both the House and the Senate, and includes input from across the entire ideological spectrum. By listening to all voices, the agenda reflects the beautiful mosaic and diversity of our country -- as well as the hopes, dreams and aspirations of its people.

Through A Better Deal, we will create opportunities for those who need them most, not just those at the very top. We'll make government responsive to all hardworking Americans, not just a select few. And we'll make certain that if you work hard that you can support your family, that you can retire with the security and dignity that you've earned, and that your children can get the skills and knowledge they need to secure good-paying jobs in their hometowns.

For Democrats, this is our collective vision. This is not a slogan. It's who we are and what we intend to accomplish for the American people.

First, our plan starts by creating millions of good-paying, full-time jobs by directly investing in our crumbling infrastructure -- and putting people back to work building our roads and bridges. To help our small businesses thrive, we will prioritize entrepreneurs over giving tax breaks to special interests. We will fight for a living wage -- so parents don't have to work three or four jobs just to pay rent. And we will keep our promise to millions of workers who earned a pension, Social Security and Medicare so they can retire with dignity.

Second, we will lower the crippling cost of prescription drugs and the cost of an education that leads to a good job with a college degree or a technical skill. And we will crack down on monopolies and the concentration of economic power that has led to higher prices for consumers, workers and small businesses -- and make sure Wall Street never endangers Main Street again.

Third, we will offer new tax incentives to employers to invest in their workforce through training and education. To make sure our country stays on the cutting edge, we will bring high-speed Internet to every community in America and offer an apprenticeship to millions of new workers. We will encourage innovation, invest in advanced research and ensure start-ups and small businesses can compete and prosper. By making it possible for every American to get the skills, tools and knowledge to find a job or to move up in their career, we'll not only improve individual lives, we'll also stay competitive in the global economy.

The choice we face is simple. We can continue down this path of a rigged system and allow Washington to turn a blind eye to painful economic realities that so many Americans are facing. Or we can stand on the side of the American people. We can invest in hardworking families and build an economy that puts Americans first -- defined by better jobs, better wages and a better future.

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Democrats: Our plan for a better deal (opinion) - CNN.com

President Harry Truman, who tried to enact a national health care system, gives his 1949 inaugural address. Corbis via Getty Images

For years afterwards, the Democratic partys platform called for a "federally-financed and federally-administered...system of universal National Health Insurance," as the

But Democrats were thwarted by the large price tags, the policy complications, and the pernicious association with socialism, leading them to eventually conclude that only more modest reforms like Obamacare were possible. And support for the approach in the Senate among Democrats lags behind the House.

"There's a bit of a false dawn with single-payer that this is going to be popular even once details are known," said Jim Kessler, the senior vice president for policy at the centrist Democratic think tank Third Way.

"There's going to be tons of disruption," Kessler continued. "Maybe it's worth it, maybe it isn't. But before people sign on in a rush to it, we have to have a serious analysis of what it's going to mean for people and all the institutions involved."

"The ACAs changes to the health insurance system and the number of people affected by those changes has been small compared to the upheaval that would be brought about by the movement to a single-payer system," the Urban Institute noted in its

Indeed, the same polls that supporters cite to demonstrate the appeal of single payer also show that voters are responsive to negative arguments about costs and government control.

"While a slim majority favors the idea of a national health plan at the outset," wrote Liz Hamel and her colleagues at the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation of their

Many Democrats worry their party is hurtling toward a policy commitment they dont fully understand when they should be focused on defending existing gains.

"We're one bad election away from the Affordable Care Act being repealed," said Kessler, referring to possible GOP gains in next year's midterm elections.

Its possible single-payer could give way to less sweeping changes if Democrats retake power.

Democrats have revived their push to create a public option a government-run alternative that would be sold alongside private insurance on the ACA exchanges. The idea, which liberals unsuccessfully fought to include in the ACA, would be far less expensive than full single-payer since most Americans would still get coverage from traditional insurance. Another proposal is to allow older people to voluntarily buy into Medicare.

"Every major breakthrough from Civil Rights to Social Security to what happened on the right under Ronald Reagan were driven by significant mobilization behind an idea that was much more extreme than what actually happened," Yale political scientist Jacob Hacker, who popularized the public option, told NBC News.

A few short years ago, Hacker's idea for a public option was killed by conservative Democrats involved in crafting Obamacare who saw it as too radical. Now, Hacker gets attacked by single-payer activists as a sellout for still favoring the idea.

Some politicians are trying to temper expectations. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., championed the Obamacare provision that allows states to enact their own single-payer plans, but noted that places like California and Vermont have had trouble finding a way to "get from here to there."

Instead, he hinted at a more gradual path to single-payer by passing legislation that would encourage more workers to buy insurance on an individual basis rather than through their employer. If you gave them access to a public option, he argues, it could grow to eventually become the dominant plan.

"You really strengthen the exchanges and probably provide another path for people actually advocating single-payer...to make the transition work," he said.

As for Conyers, who turned 88 a few months ago, hes willing to wait.

"I've said before, this is a civil rights issue and it'll take a movement on the scale of the one Dr. King led," he said. I'm glad we're here it shows we're making progress but my goal isn't a certain number of co-sponsors, it's passing a bill that makes every American Medicare-eligible."

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Government-Run Health Care: Democrats' New Litmus Test - NBCNews.com