Democrats find a strange emotion at post-midterms What's Next conference: hope

A brighter political outlook

Political consultant Stephanie Valencia expected the Denver gathering to focus on election analysis and planning under President Donald Trump. Instead, she arrived amid celebrations over results Democrats viewed as a major success.

Valencia, co-founder of Equis, said she had not expected to feel so hopeful. She said the party could now see the shape of a period after Trump.

Ambition meets caution

At the conference, speakers discussed the possibility of a congressional supermajority, while one data analyst pointed to potential Senate races in Missouri and Utah. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro urged Democrats to target 370 Electoral College votes in the next presidential election, rather than simply seeking the 270 needed to win.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg encouraged Democrats to celebrate, while warning them not to assume future victories. Other attendees said voters might be responding to high prices, the Iran war and concerns about government corruption, rather than embracing the party anew.

Debates over the party’s direction

The upbeat gathering also faced criticism from the left. Sunrise Movement protesters objected to the conference’s sponsorship by Majority Democrats, which they described as centrist and backed by wealthy businesspeople.

Voices from the conference

Luis Davila, the Democratic chair in Puerto Rico, expressed hope for statehood. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker called the leadership contest a family discussion and welcomed the party’s internal debate.