Jake Auchincloss

Riding the high of major election victories, Democrats will convene in Denver this week to discuss what’s next as they look toward the 2028 presidential race — and the wide-open field that many candidates might jump into.

The end of a successful 2026 midterm cycle means all eyes now point toward bids for the White House. For Democrats who lack a clear front-runner or strong leader, it could shape up to be one of the more crowded and unpredictable primaries in years.

Republicans will have their own decisions to make, with leading options like Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio trying to define themselves amid the ending of President Donald Trump’s 16 years on the political stage and discussions over what will become of the Make America Great Again movement.

Democrats’ celebrations for the huge wins in the midterm appeared to be short, as many say they’re ready to get to work and deliver on the mandates given to them by voters in states across the country. How they do that, and what the battle for 2028 looks like, may be decided this week.

Majority Democrats, an independent PAC chaired by Rep. Jake Auchincloss, a Democrat from Massachusetts, will be hosting a postelection gathering for the Democratic Party in the Mile High City, billed as a space where “leaders, ideas, and debate that shape the party through 2028 and beyond take center stage.”

The event will allow elected Democrats from across the country, not just in positions in Congress, to “absorb” what happened in the midterm elections and decide where the party goes next, both in combatting Trump’s final two years in office and implementing their key agenda items across the country.

It’s sponsored by Majority Democrats PAC, and is not an official Democratic Party event.

The meeting will be attended by top Democrats, including former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg; Sens. Raphael Warnock, Cory Booker and Elissa Slotkin; New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill and Virginia Gov. Abail Spanberger; House members like Reps. Sarah McBride and Joe Neguse; and more.

Since the Democratic Party has no clear front-runner for who will lead the party in a post-Trump era, the gathering in Denver might offer a glimpse into who is seeking to promote themselves ahead of launching a presidential bid.

The midterm election lead-up also provided a look inside some rumored candidates’ intentions. Democrats like former Vice President Kamala Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and others crisscrossed the nation campaigning for other Democrats ahead of the 2026 election.

While they were urging voters to cast ballots for their fellow Democrats, they were also looking to speak to voters in an unofficial capacity ahead of potentially launching a campaign.

In the days since Tuesday’s election, top Democrats in the House and Senate are figuring out how they want to wield their majorities for Trump’s last two years in office. Others, however, are already eyeing fundraising for a presidential campaign.

NBC News reported last week that allies of Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., are launching an effort to lay the groundwork for a presidential campaign. Leaders of the new draft committee include former Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., and progressive strategist Nomiki Konst, who are co-chairs of the group “Run Ro,” which is going to start raising money from donors and support the lawmaker as he continues to weigh a 2028 campaign, they told the outlet.

Khanna would occupy the party’s left wing after Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., carved out a progressive lane in past presidential races. The group is encouraged given the Democratic wins in the recent midterm races and told NBC that by launching so soon after the election, they were trying to ensure that the 2028 conversation is framed around a “progressive populist perspective.”

Khanna is expected to attend the meeting in Denver, as well as other 2028 rumored candidates like Buttigieg and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly.

The Democrats will participate in several sessions, including hearing from strategists in the “most consequential races” of the last decade, listening to online creators and organizers about what Democrats are getting wrong about Gen Z, learning about use of AI and its potential dangers, and, perhaps most importantly for the party after 2024: elected officials debating about what holds the Democratic Party together despite intraparty disagreement about where to go next.

Denver Mayor Mike Johnston will be one of the participating mayors who will share with national party leaders about what’s working on a local level.

He said in a statement to the Deseret News that last week’s election was a message from the American people who are ready for better days ahead.

“Nowhere does that message resonate louder than in Denver,” Johnston said. “We’re proud to welcome the leaders of tomorrow to our city and show the country how we get things done in Denver.”

Rep. Jason Crow, a fellow Coloradan, echoed the sentiment that Americans want a new path forward.

“They deserve a government actually focused on making life easier for working people. We have an opportunity to build something new,” Crow said in a statement to the Deseret News. “I look forward to welcoming Democratic leaders to my home state of Colorado and fighting to ensure the Democratic Party puts working people first, not elites or corporate special interests.”

Denver is also one of three final cities on the DNC’s short-list to be considered as the party’s 2028 convention host city. An announcement is expected in the coming months.