What has caused the Democratic Party to lurch so far left?

[RFayette 🇻🇦]

Have they improved their position in Kentucky? Oh my, not at all. These social / energy-related issues are absolutely decimating what is left of the KY/WV Democratic party.

The Democrats are actually growing in the urban areas though.

Do you just not care about losing in rural areas?

[RFayette 🇻🇦]

I reject the notion that the Democratic Party has "lurched" far to the left.  Its economic platform is fairly mainstream Keynesianism - market capitalism with a greater degree of redistributive measures in an effort to uplift the poor and working-classes.  On social issues, I agree that the party has taken an unfortunate (from my vantage point) turn, but this is largely a reflection of viewpoint shifts in the country as a whole on these issues.