▁from ▁ 1 9 5 3 – 1 9 6 1 . ▁Since ▁the ▁mid - 2 0 th ▁century , ▁Democr ats ▁have ▁generally ▁been ▁in ▁the ▁center - left ▁and ▁currently ▁support ▁social ▁justice , ▁social ▁liberal ism , ▁a ▁mixed ▁economy , ▁and ▁the ▁w elf are ▁state , ▁although ▁Bill ▁Cl inton ▁and ▁other ▁New ▁Democr ats ▁have ▁pushed ▁for ▁free ▁trade ▁and ▁ne oli ber al ism , ▁which ▁is ▁seen ▁to ▁have ▁shift ed ▁the ▁party ▁right wards . ▁Democr ats ▁are ▁currently ▁strong est ▁in ▁the ▁N ortheast ▁and ▁West ▁Coast ▁and ▁in ▁major ▁American ▁urban ▁cent ers . ▁African - Amer icans ▁and ▁Lat inos ▁tend ▁to ▁be ▁dis pro port ion ately ▁Democratic , ▁as ▁do ▁trade ▁un ions . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁largest ▁political ▁party , ▁with ▁ 7 2 ▁million ▁registered ▁vot ers ▁( 4 2 . 6 % ▁of ▁ 1 6 9 ▁million ▁registered ) ▁claim ing ▁affili ation . ▁Although ▁his ▁party ▁lost ▁the ▁election ▁for ▁president ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁Bar ack ▁Ob ama ▁would ▁later ▁go ▁on ▁to ▁become ▁president ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁and ▁continue ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁president ▁until ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁Ob ama ▁was ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁Dem ocrat ▁to ▁hold ▁the ▁office , ▁and ▁from ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁mid term ▁elections ▁until ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁mid term