Democracy heavyweights descend on Denver for 2028 strategic summit after election vote

DENVER — Fresh off stunning victories in the midterms, Democratic leaders, strategists and potential 2028 presidential candidates are heading to Colorado to debate the future of their party.

The three-day “What’s Next” conference in Denver, hosted by the independent group Majority Democrats, will feature a wide range of party leaders as advisers to the group admitting to Fox News Digital that the election results do not prove a “validation of our party” but rather constitute a “repudiation of Donald Trump.”

Conference organizers hope to bring Democrats together to see “where our party goes from here.”

The list includes former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who ran in the Democratic presidential primary in 2020; Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro; Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., and Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich.; Sen.-elect James Talarico, D-Texas; New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill; Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger; Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif.; and former Obama adviser David Axelrod.

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Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, a 2020 presidential candidate, will address the conference as Democrats begin to determine who could lead the party through 2028. (Paul Steinhauser/Fox News Digital)

Democrats, as they prepare to take control of Congress in January, are looking to capitalize on their electoral gains and strategize on how to deliver on campaign promises that won them control of both houses of Congress and many typically red state chambers — like affordability and health care. Organizers describe the gathering as an opportunity to assess the 2026 results and discuss the leaders, ideas and debates that could shape the party through 2028 and beyond.

The conference was planned even before Democrats’ stunning midterm victories earlier this month, when they saw historic seat swings, not just in traditional Republican strongholds like Texas, Kansas and South Carolina.

Democrats must now turn these midterm gains into a governing agenda that reaches beyond their energized base.

Party leaders have pledged to cut costs, improve government services and investigate the Trump administration, but the party still faces questions about how to unite its progressive and moderate wings.

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Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., is among Democrats expected at the Denver rally as party leaders and potential 2028 candidates debate the party’s next direction. (Eric Lee/Getty Images)

The conference is not an official Democratic Party event. Organized by Majority Democrats, a group led by Rep. Jake Auchincloss, D-Mass., it is billed as an “independent, outside conversation” about the future of the party.

Lis Smith, a longtime Democratic strategist and veteran of several presidential campaigns, is a senior adviser to the group and said the post-midterm elections will take an honest look at the party’s recent victories and what comes next now that they control the House and Senate.

“The Democrats won big last week, but let’s be honest: The election was more of a rejection of Donald Trump than a validation of our party,” Smith told Fox News Digital. “That’s why the Democratic Majority is bringing together some of the biggest names and brightest new voices in Democratic politics at the ‘What’s Next’ event to have honest conversations about what worked, what didn’t, and where our party goes from here.”

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine what it means to be a Democrat, and our party cannot afford to waste it,” she added.

The midterm victories gave Democrats a new foothold in Washington, but the party now faces pressure to show voters that those victories can translate into lower costs and lower outcomes. (Al Drago/Getty Images)

The conference’s list of high-profile guests could also offer a first look at the party’s slate of candidates in the 2028 presidential election, fueling speculation about who might seek the nomination.

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With no clear front-runner, the gathering gives potential candidates a chance to share their views as Democrats consider who might lead the party’s next campaign. For now, their most immediate test will be keeping the promises that helped them win the midterm elections.