Democrats flock to Denver for a post-midterms introspection-turned-celebration

DENVER (AP) — Fresh off the best electoral performance in half a century, Democratic officials and strategists will converge on Denver starting Thursday to plot a further course for the party and revel in their gains.

The two-day What’s Next conference, hosted by a new group called Majority Democrats, was put on politicos’ calendars months ago as another stepping stone as the party charted its way out of its post-2024 political wilderness.

Now Democrats will have to figure out what to do with majorities in both chambers of Congress and control of at least 12 new state legislative chambers.

The schedule includes some of the victorious candidates from the midterms, such as Texas Sen.-elect James Talarico and Iowa Sen.-elect Josh Turek.

Also, there will be potential presidential hopefuls, such as former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

It’s a who’s-who of rising Democratic talent that will also make the event a showcase for the party.

The gathering is also a showcase of sorts for Denver, which remains in the hunt for the party’s 2028 convention after last hosting one in 2008. The city is selling itself as a modern example of a purple state turning solid blue, and its mayor, Mike Johnston, will kick off the festivities Thursday.

The group Majority Democrats seeks to bridge the traditional left-center splits that have riven the party for years, particularly since the 2024 election that returned President Donald Trump to the White House. It particularly positions itself as the voice of a new generation of party leaders tired of old ideological and establishment battles, and the speaker list skews noticeably young.

The conference also includes various party leaders, such as the likely next House speaker, Hakeem Jeffries, who has engendered suspicion among some on the left who continue to target the party’s Washington power structure.