Denver Democrats Plan for Supermajority

Political operatives gathered in Denver this week to map out a strategy for a potential Senate supermajority. The two-day What’s Next conference marked a departure from the typical post-election debrief. Instead of analyzing losses, attendees focused on capitalizing on recent gains. Democrats won nearly every contested race in the midterms. They flipped Senate seats in Mississippi and South Carolina. The party also turned Texas blue and secured large majorities in Congress.

Stephanie Valencia, co-founder of the research firm Equis, described the shift in mood at the event. She noted that the group is now looking at the structure of a post-Trump era. “I did not expect to be coming here with so much hope,” Valencia said. Speakers at the conference discussed the feasibility of winning 60 seats in the Senate. One analyst presented data indicating winnable races in states like Missouri and Utah.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who is considered a potential presidential candidate, addressed the crowd. He urged the party to enjoy the current momentum while remaining cautious. “Everybody’s happy about the results, but everybody’s looking over their shoulder saying, ‘Can we really be happy about this?'” Buttigieg said. Some attendees warned that voters may have switched parties due to frustration with high prices and the Iran war rather than renewed affection for Democrats. No specific policy solution for affordability emerged from the sessions.

Jason Delattre and other volunteers from the Rio Grande Valley traveled to Denver after working on Texas campaigns. They expressed surprise at the new political landscape. “We have so much power we didn’t have before,” said Jose Robbie Juarez, a friend of Delattre. Luis Davila, the Democratic chair for Puerto Rico, also spoke about the possibility of statehood. “It finally feels we’re going to get it done,” Davila said.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro told the group to aim for a landslide presidential victory. He suggested targeting 370 Electoral College votes instead of the 270 required for a win. That number would exceed the 365 votes Barack Obama received in 2008. The event took place at the Mission Ballroom in Denver’s River North neighborhood. The venue featured concert-style posters of politicians on the walls.

Disagreements within the party surfaced during the event. Members of the Sunrise Movement protested outside, citing the conference’s centrist sponsor, Majority Democrats. A few protesters interrupted Hakeem Jeffries, the likely new House speaker. They demanded a Green New Deal and an arms embargo against Israel. One man called Jeffries a traitor before being escorted out. Jeffries responded with a joke about his Brooklyn background.

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen appeared Friday to support the liberal wing of the party. He argued that voters demanded change. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker described the internal debates as a healthy family conversation. “I think this is a wonderful thing that we have right now, that we’re having a real discussion,” Booker said. Colorado Rep. Joe Neguse called the group a big tent party with an exciting ideological spectrum.