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Highlights from our first event in Denver!

On Friday, PPI launched New Directions for Democrats with a high-energy convening in Denver, bringing together policymakers, strategists, and reformers to chart a new course for the Democratic Party. Against a backdrop of growing anxiety about our nation's future, we came together with a shared understanding: it is not enough to oppose authoritarian threats — we must also offer a clear, compelling vision of what and who we are fighting for.

Over two days of candid conversations, participants focused on rebuilding trust with working Americans, forging a cross-class coalition that includes more non-college voters, modernizing the party’s agenda to deliver real results, and restoring faith in our government’s ability to serve the public effectively. We drew inspiration from “The Colorado Way” — a disciplined, ground-up strategy that has transformed Colorado from a red to a blue state — and from international examples of political renewal.

New Directions is about laying the foundation for a durable, competitive center-left majority — one that meets Americans where they are, addresses their real-world challenges, and makes government work for working families again.

“We're a shrinking party. We need to grow our coalition. We need to add, bring back the working-class voters who are defecting visibility. Our party should be able to go anywhere in this country and compete.” - PPI President Will Marshall

Opening Reception: A New Chapter for Democrats

Governor Jared Polis set the tone for the weekend by challenging Democrats to rethink our governing model.
* Focus on delivery: Voters want results, not rhetoric.
* Efficiency matters: A streamlined, effective government strengthens democracy.
* Be bold on healthcare and housing: Polis emphasized successes like Colorado’s universal free preschool and removing barriers to new housing construction.
* Strong America, Strong Democracy: Polis stressed that the world needs American leadership — and it starts with a Democratic Party that can win and govern.

“We need to focus on delivery, because we can't just defend institutions. For the sake of defending institutions, we have to show if institutions are relevant, how do we make them work better.” - Gov. Jared Polis

Dinner & Discussion: Rebuilding a National Majority

Senator John Hickenlooper, former Senator Doug Jones, Representatives Joe Neguse, Brittany Pettersen, and Tim Ryan shared what it will take to rebuild Democratic competitiveness:
* Deliver explainable, effective policies that voters can see and feel.
* Reinvest in rural and Rust Belt communities left behind by national politics.
* Move beyond comfort: Democrats must challenge themselves and voters to think differently.
* Colorado as a model: Colorado’s pragmatic, ground-up transformation shows how Democrats can win back suburban and rural areas by focusing on results over ideological orthodoxy.

“We can't just leave states off the table. We can't leave out rural communities. We actually have to meet people where they are.” - Rep. Brittany Pettersen

Hearing – and Heeding – Working America

A data-driven look at the party’s challenges, led by Will Marshall, David Shor, Claire Ainsley, and Tom Brookes, underscored urgent trends:
* Working-class alienation: Many voters see Democrats as out of touch, particularly on economic, immigration, and crime issues.
* Disengagement is dangerous: Politically disengaged voters are trending Republican – and expanding the electorate now often produces more Republican votes.
* Economic anxiety is dominant: Voters are looking for leaders who address inflation, cost of living, and economic security, not those defending existing institutions.
* Reset needed: A dramatic shift in how Democrats connect culturally and economically with voters is essential.

“The Republicans were seen as stronger and competent, more in touch.” - PPI’s Claire Ainsley

“If you look at what were the issues that voters cared the most about [...] Republicans had 15 point trust advantages. [...] I think it's amazing that we only lost by 9%.” - David Shor

Lessons in Political Renewal: Colorado and the UK

Senator Michael Bennet, Lindsay Lewis, Lisa Kaufmann, and David Evans shared how deep, structural reform revitalized political movements:
* Colorado’s turnaround: Relentless focus on voter needs, not party orthodoxies, and investing in strong local candidates.
* Labour’s transformation: Root-and-branch reform under Keir Starmer, focusing on persuading middle-ground voters, not just turnout.
* Hard lessons: Real change required leadership willing to confront entrenched interests inside their own parties.

“I blame Donald Trump for almost everything, for many, many things. [...] But he is not the cause of all our problems. He is the symptom of the lack of economic mobility that we have, the sense that people, no matter how hard they work, can't get ahead.”

- Sen. Michael Bennet

A New Economic Agenda for Working Families

PPI’s Ben Ritz and Rep. George Whitesides

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego

A dynamic discussion featuring Governor Polis, Representative Adam Smith,

Representative Marc Veasey, Mayor Kate Gallego, Ben Ritz, and others focused on restoring Democrats' economic credibility:
* Lower costs for families: Tackle housing, healthcare, and energy costs head-on.
* Pathways beyond college: Expand job training, apprenticeships, and certification programs.
* Fiscal responsibility: Build a fairer tax system while showing voters that Democrats can manage public finances wisely.
* Trade and innovation: Smart trade policies and inclusive economic growth can rebuild trust in a globalized economy.

“I really think that Trump's action on tariffs is a big opening for Democrats to talk about the benefits of trade. [...] There is a huge opportunity for us to really say, how do we make trade, how do we make the global economy work for Americans, work for our constituents.” - Gov. Jared Polis

Rebuilding Trust Where It Matters:

Immigration, Safety, and Schools

Led by Mayor Mike Johnston, former Mayor John Cranley, Representative Lou Correa, Andy Rotherham, Joe Williams, Rachel Canter, and Curtis Valentine, this session tackled kitchen-table issues:
* Smart border security and immigration reform: Protect America’s interests while recognizing immigrants’ role in the economy.
* Public safety that works: Increased community policing presence coupled with real reform to rebuild trust.
* Education system modernization: Democrats must offer a compelling vision for public education that resonates with families' real priorities, including school choice and innovation.

“When I think about what is the National Democratic Party vision for education, there is none. [...] We have to go back to a fundamental conversation about what are public schools in America for? Because if we are not having that conversation with American families we are not talking to them about the most important thing to them in their everyday lives.” - PPI’s Rachel Canter

A New Democratic Vision for National Security

Representatives Adam Smith, George Whitesides, Lou Correa, and a panel of experts explored how to rebuild Democratic credibility on national security:
* Project strength through partnerships: Americans want engagement abroad, but shared responsibility, not endless wars.
* Connect national security to working Americans: Emphasize the defense-industrial base as a jobs and security engine.
* Defend democracy at home and abroad: Authoritarian threats require a strong, united front from liberal democracies — and strong leadership from Democrats.

“We are not going to get to the point overnight where the country trusts us on national security. Yes, we need to be engaged in the world [...] but I think Americans are fatigued by the notion that we somehow are responsible for all the problems in the world, and we're going to go out and solve them.” - Rep. Adam Smith

Government That Works:

Delivering Abundance and Opportunity

Representatives George Whitesides and Adam Smith, Mayor Kate Gallego, and others, stressed that Democrats must be the party of effective governance:
* Fix housing bottlenecks: Embrace zoning reform and innovation to address the affordability crisis.
* Modernize energy policy: Prioritize abundance and innovation, not scarcity and regulation alone.
* Cut red tape: Democrats must show they can build faster, cheaper, and smarter to meet voters' real-world needs.

I think it [abundance] is in some ways the potential framework for the reintegration of the Democratic Party [...] let's get stuff done. The through line between so many of the problems that we have in our country is this idea that if you play by the rules, you cannot succeed in what you're trying to do.”

- Rep. George Whitesides

"If we can't make blue states an attractive and affordable place to live, we are going to lose elections as a direct result of that."

- PPI’s Colin Mortimer

Thank you to everyone who joined us in Denver. Your energy, ideas, and determination are helping chart a new, winning course for Democrats — one grounded in the real aspirations of working Americans.

We look forward to continuing these critical conversations and building momentum for a stronger, more competitive center-left movement.

Stay tuned for what’s next.

Will Marshall Lindsay Lewis

President, PPI Chief Executive Officer, PPI

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