what is a democrat

A democrat is someone who supports democracy (government by the people) and, in the U.S., the word also commonly means a member or supporter of the Democratic Party.

Core meanings

• In general politics, a democrat is a person who believes political power should come from ordinary people rather than a king, dictator, or small elite.

• Historically, the word grew out of movements that opposed aristocrats and promoted rights and participation for common citizens.

In the United States

• In U.S. politics, “Democrat” (capital D) usually means a member or supporter of the Democratic Party, one of the two major political parties.

• Dictionaries often describe Democrats as generally linked with ideas like stronger government regulation of business, more federally funded social and educational programs, separation of church and state, and support for things like abortion rights, affirmative action, gun control, and protections for workers and minorities.

Big-picture idea

In both senses, a democrat is tied to the idea that people should have a real say in how they’re governed, whether that means backing democracy as a system or supporting a party that claims to advance that kind of representation.

TL;DR: A democrat is anyone who believes in democratic rule by the people, and in the U.S. it usually means a supporter of the Democratic Party and its generally liberal or progressive positions.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.