Denver Gathering Turns Democrats’ Midterm Soul-search Into 2028 Planning
WHO:
Slate Magazine - Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed said, “My name is Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed, and I am so proud and honored to stand here as your senator-elect.”
Slate Magazine - Human rights lawyer and activist Qasim Rashid said, “We love Abdul, but we need to hold him accountable now.”
Slate Magazine - Newly elected Michigan state Sen. Abbas Alawieh said, “We’re making history,” and, “We have to become the leaders ourselves.”
Slate Magazine - Alawieh’s father said, “It’s not one Abdul coming for you, Trump. Thousands of Abduls are coming for you.”
Slate Magazine - Gordon Geist, a Republican handing out literature for Democrats for Mike Rogers outside Congregation B’nai Moshe, said, “I struggle with Islam, with the rabid aspects of Islam, the radical aspects of Islam.”
Slate Magazine - Michigan Sen.-elect Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed became the first Muslim elected to the Senate; newly elected Michigan state Sen. Abbas Alawieh said, “We have to become the leaders ourselves.”
Slate Magazine - Georgia elected the country’s first Black woman governor, New Mexico its first Native American woman governor, Minnesota its first Native American woman senator, and New Hampshire its first openly gay male senator.
PBS - Iowa Sen.-elect Josh Turek was listed among the conference’s victorious midterm candidates.
ABC News - Democratic officials and strategists attended the “What’s Next” conference, hosted by the new group Majority Democrats.
ABC News - Speakers and attendees included Mitch Landrieu, former mayor of New Orleans; Texas Sen.-elect James Talarico; former Attorney General Eric Holder; Democratic data analyst David Shor; former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg; New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker; Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro; Iowa Gov.-elect Rob Sand; and Hakeem Jeffries, described as the likely next House speaker.
PBS - Conference participants included Texas Sen.-elect James Talarico, Iowa Sen.-elect Josh Turek, Pete Buttigieg, Cory Booker, Josh Shapiro and Hakeem Jeffries. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston was scheduled to kick off the event.
Fox News - Pete Buttigieg, Josh Shapiro and other potential 2028 presidential candidates gathered in Denver to discuss the Democratic Party’s direction.
WHAT:
Slate Magazine - Republican advertisers spent $46 million on ads attacking El-Sayed with claims invoking Shariah law, alleged foreign and domestic Muslim-group loyalties, terrorism or 9/11; one ad used an image of a woman in a niqab.
Slate Magazine - El-Sayed said Mike Rogers did not call to concede.
Slate Magazine - Slate reported that Haley Stevens accused El-Sayed of supporting bigotry and endorsed Rogers two days before the election.
Slate Magazine - Slate reported that 30 Uncommitted delegates representing about 700,000 voters sought a speaking slot at the 2024 Democratic National Convention for a Palestinian American doctor who had worked in Gaza; party leaders declined.
Slate Magazine - El-Sayed said he would offer to name a healthcare bill “Trumpcare” if it passed.
Slate Magazine - Roughly 7 in 10 Hispanic voters in Texas backed James Talarico for Senate; the state also elected its first Latina governor, Gina Hinojosa.
Slate Magazine - AIPAC and affiliated groups spent close to $30 million backing Mike Rogers in the primary, and an AIPAC-linked super PAC reportedly spent another $12.7 million attacking El-Sayed in the general election.
Slate Magazine - El-Sayed’s platform centered on healthcare, affordability and getting money out of politics. He supported the 2024 Uncommitted protest vote before endorsing Kamala Harris.
Slate Magazine - Exit polls suggested economic frustration and opposition to Trump gave Democrats an edge; the article also cited ICE raids and deportations, a new war in Iran and the Epstein files cover-up among factors in the Democratic gains.
NBC News - Texas Sen.-elect James Talarico said Democrats should make President Trump’s last two years in office “the most productive of any presidency in American history.”
ABC News - Iowa Gov.-elect Rob Sand was elected Iowa’s first Democratic governor in nearly two decades.
NBC News - Texas Sen.-elect James Talarico said Democrats should make President Trump’s final two years in office “the most productive of any presidency in American history.”
ABC News - David Shor said Democratic analysts used charts, graphs and preliminary data about who voted and why to examine the party’s election gains.
NBC News - James Talarico said Democrats should make President Trump’s final two years in office “the most productive of any presidency in American history.”
NBC News - Texas Sen.-elect James Talarico said Democrats should make President Trump’s final two years in office “the most productive of any presidency in American history.”
Fox News - The Denver gathering brought together potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidates without a frontrunner, according to the article’s headline.
ABC News - Democrats met to celebrate what the article described as the party’s best electoral performance in 50 years and to plan its next steps.
ABC News - Democrats gained majorities in both chambers of Congress and control of at least 12 additional state legislative chambers.
PBS - The conference was presented as a gathering of rising Democratic talent and a showcase for the party; Denver was also seeking the party’s 2028 convention.
Truthout - David Sirota said a billionaire-backed group was convening in Denver to shape the Democratic Party’s agenda.
WHERE:
Slate Magazine - El-Sayed declared victory at a gathering in downtown Detroit; Abbas Alawieh declared victory at Dearborn’s Byblos Banquet Center.
Slate Magazine - Slate described women in niqabs voting at McDonald Elementary in Dearborn.
ABC News - The conference was held at a concert venue in central Denver, where attendees could watch speakers in an auditorium or on an outdoor plaza Jumbotron.
ABC News - The outdoor plaza had food trucks and views of snowcapped peaks described as 14,000 feet high.
PBS - Denver was described as a purple-state city presenting itself as an example of a state turning solid blue.
WHEN:
PBS - Denver Mayor Mike Johnston was scheduled to kick off the conference on Thursday.
ABC News - The “What’s Next” conference lasted two days.
ABC News - Denver last hosted the Democratic convention in 2008.
WHY:
Slate Magazine - Alawieh said the path to the 2028 presidency would run through southeastern Michigan and that Arab American and Muslim communities “will have questions.”
Slate Magazine - Alawieh said the path to the 2028 presidency would run through southeastern Michigan and warned that Arab American and Muslim communities “will have questions.”
Fox News - Newly elected Democrats at the Denver conference urged their party to work with Trump on costs and policy rather than focus solely on investigations.
ABC News - David Shor said Democrats won because many voters who supported Trump in 2024 stayed home.
ABC News - Mitch Landrieu said, “The fever has broken. The fog has lifted,” and called on Democrats to rebuild the nation’s foundation and fulfill the promise of America.
ABC News - David Shor said most voters Democrats lost two years earlier had not become Democrats, and that winning them back required addressing voters’ economic concerns.
ABC News - Rob Sand said he would rather answer a difficult question himself than hand the microphone to a Republican attendee at one of his events.
ABC News - Hakeem Jeffries has drawn suspicion from some on the left, who continue to target the Democratic Party’s Washington power structure.
ABC News - Majority Democrats said it sought to bridge the party’s traditional left-center divisions and give voice to a new generation of leaders tired of ideological and establishment battles.
ABC News - David Shor said Democrats’ gains came in part because many voters who supported Trump in 2024 stayed home; he said Democrats needed to focus on voters’ economic concerns.
HOW:
ABC News - Talarico urged Democrats to work with Trump, avoid intraparty disputes and excessive caution, and deliver results. He said, “We can’t let them down.”
ABC News - Holder said Democrats should not be timid or pursue bipartisanship without direction, adding, “This must end.”
ABC News - Rob Sand said he held town halls in every county and allowed unfiltered questions, arguing that voters want politicians who listen and answer honestly.
(UPDATED November 14, 2026 02:05 UTC)
Abdulrahman Mohamed El-Sayed became the first Muslim elected to the Senate, in Michigan. Democrats also won majorities in Congress and several historic state-level victories nationwide. In Denver, rising Democrats gathered to chart the party’s direction and urged cooperation with Trump.
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(UPDATED November 13, 2026 23:59 UTC)
Democrats won major elections nationwide, including historic firsts in Senate and governor races. In Denver, rising party leaders gathered to assess gains and chart Democrats’ next steps. They urged a focus on voters’ economic concerns, practical results, and honest answers.
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(UPDATED November 13, 2026 17:00 UTC)
Democratic leaders and potential presidential contenders gathered in Denver to discuss rebuilding their party. Senator-elect James Talarico urged Democrats to work with President Trump and deliver results. Strategist David Shor said winning back voters requires addressing economic concerns and listening.
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(UPDATED November 13, 2026 15:00 UTC)
Democrats gathered in Denver to celebrate election gains and plan the party’s next steps. James Talarico urged cooperation with President Trump, calling for productive final years in office. Analyst David Shor said economic concerns and voter turnout shaped Democrats’ recent gains.
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(UPDATED November 13, 2026 11:58 UTC)
Democratic leaders and potential presidential contenders gathered in Denver to discuss the party’s future. The conference followed major election gains, as Democrats sought to bridge internal divisions. Senator-elect James Talarico urged Democrats to work with President Trump and deliver results.
--
(UPDATED November 13, 2026 07:58 UTC)
Democratic leaders and potential 2028 contenders gathered in Denver to discuss the party’s direction. Texas Sen.-elect James Talarico urged Democrats to work with Trump and deliver results. Strategists said winning voters back requires addressing their economic concerns and listening honestly.
--
(UPDATED November 13, 2026 07:00 UTC)
Democratic leaders and potential presidential contenders gathered in Denver to discuss the party’s direction. After major election gains, Majority Democrats convened rising figures to bridge ideological divides. Speakers urged Democrats to focus on economic concerns, listen to voters, and deliver results.