If you read the coverage this week, you’d think Tuesday belonged to one person. Zohran Mamdani’s slate swept three of the bluest congressional districts in America, the party’s House leadership tried to stop it and couldn’t, and every take since has been some version of “the left is rising and the establishment is scared.” That story isn’t completely wrong. But it doesn’t capture the whole night — and the part it skipped over is the part that actually decides whether Democrats will sweep into majorities in Congress and in the states this November.

This is the story of the Hudson Valley, Maryland, and The Next 50.

In New York’s battleground 17th district, Cait Conley won a resounding victory in her Democratic primary — a special ops combat veteran and former National Security Council counterterrorism director who did six tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and was among the first women to lead a special operations unit. A newcomer to electoral politics, she was not the favorite when she launched her campaign. But that didn’t matter; she coasted past a crowded field, including a sitting county legislator and a Working Families Party candidate who tried to make AIPAC the issue.

True to form, Cait is not being shy about what comes next. Rep. Mike Lawler, she said this week, was “scared” to face her in November — which is why his allies threw everything they had at stopping her in the primary. They couldn’t. NY-17 is a must win on the path to a House majority (Kamala Harris carried it in 2024), and Cait is the candidate who can win it. We backed her early – on the second day of her campaign - because her record and her message of service, country, and a refusal to be boxed into anyone’s litmus test are exactly what wins a district like this. Democratic Primary voters just agreed; and we are confident that all voters in NY-17 will join this coalition and send Cait to congress in November.

Further south, Governor Wes Moore cruised to renomination for a second term. That part surprised no one. But look at what’s happening underneath him: the local leaders Moore has lifted up across Maryland — for county council, for school board, for the seats that actually decide whether families can afford to stay — are running and winning on the same promise he is. Lower costs. Safer communities. Stronger schools. Leave no one behind. Moore is one of the best communicators in the Democratic Party, a combat veteran and a former CEO of one of the nation’s largest anti-poverty organizations, and he’s proving something we’ve argued for years: a strong top of the ticket isn’t just about one race. It’s about building a deep slate of leaders beneath you.

Here’s the through-line the national coverage missed:

The energy in the party right now is very real, and it’s everywhere — voters are furious at a status quo that isn’t working for them, and they want candidates who can channel that anger into action. But that energy doesn’t only come in one brand, and isn’t owned by one candidate or ideology.

In the Hudson Valley, it looks like a combat veteran who conveys righteous anger while taking on a vulnerable Republican in a seat Democrats have to flip. In Maryland, it looks like a governing record strong enough to carry a whole slate down the ballot. Neither of those trended on a Tuesday night. Both of them are how you build a majority. That’s the whole Next 50 thesis: identify leaders early, support them through multiple cycles, and watch the returns compound — in the districts that decide control of Congress and statehouses, not just the ones that make headlines.

I made this point in Puck this week: people are hungry for something new, for a fresh take on big problems, and the candidates who win are the ones who can meet that moment in their own districts. The brand that swept New York City doesn’t automatically export to a battleground House seat — but the energy underneath it is everywhere, and Cait Conley is what it looks like when you meet that moment in a district we have to win to flip the House. There’s a bigger argument under all of this, about which candidates travel and which don’t, and it’s worth its own entry. More on that soon.

This is the work. Identify them early. Back them when it’s hard. Stay in the fight through November.

Make a contribution to The Next 50 PAC to support our work here.

We’re proud to be backing Sandra Jauregui for the third cycle. She once won her Assembly seat by 257 votes, and she spent the years since becoming one of the most effective lawmakers in the statehouse and served in Assembly leadership. Last Tuesday she took the next step, winning her primary for Lieutenant Governor.

Incumbent Cisco Aguilar has spent his term as Secretary of State doing the essential work of running Nevada’s elections — and proving, again and again, that he’ll protect them. Free and fair elections are the foundation everything else is built on, and there’s no one better to keep safeguarding them in Nevada. We were proud to endorse him.

Addiction recovery advocate and leader Ryan Hampton has spent his career taking on the powerful interests that prey on working families, and he’s got the scars to prove it. He isn’t coming to the Nevada Assembly to learn how the fight works — he’s been in it for years. That’s exactly the kind of person we want writing the laws. Tuesday he won his primary, and we’ll be right alongside him as he looks to keep his district in Democratic control.

And in Fargo, North Dakota, Josh Boschee won the mayor’s race in a resounding victory. A former state House minority leader, Josh is another leader, who thanks to our partners at , we have watched grow into someone ready to run a city. He’s bringing a real record and a clear plan for a Fargo that’s safer and more affordable.

Although not every race went our way (our candidate, Zach Conine — who took Nevada to the highest credit rating in its history as State Treasurer — came up short in his primary for Attorney General) we’re grateful that leaders like him continue to raise their hand to serve and we’ll continue to nurture them through the ups and downs of public service and electoral politics. We are rooting for Nicole Cannizzaro as she advances to the general election.

This is our theory of change at work: back our leaders early, stay with them through the hard races, and be for them whether they win or fall short. Just last week, Sarah Trone Garriott became our party’s nominee in IA-03 — the fighter who held her state Senate seat by 29 votes — and Rebecca Bennett romped in her primary for NJ-07, one of the toughest battlegrounds on the map. In 2025 we went 10-for-10, from Abigail Spanberger and Jay Jones in Virginia to Mayors Gina Ortiz Jones in San Antonio and Mary Sheffield in Detroit. Across 2023–2024, we backed 50 candidates, posted a 70% win rate, and put $3.1 million behind them.

Primaries are step one. We’ll be right there with Sandra, Cisco, Ryan, and Josh through November — and we’re as proud of the race Zach Conine ran as of any of them.

Stay tuned for more updates as we build the bench of next generation of leaders! If you’d like to make a contribution to The Next 50 PAC to support our work, you may do so here.

This isn’t the first big win in Sarah Trone Garriott’s story. We got behind her in 2022 when she was running for re-election the first time to the state Senate, before she became known nationally as one of 2026’s strongest recruits for Congress. She went on to win her re-election to the state senate in 2024 by 29 votes. And she’s spent every day since proving those voters right; she is a relentless fighter for working families, for affordable healthcare, and for paid leave. Having cleared her primary earlier in the year, last night she officially became the Democratic Nominee for IA-03.

Rep. Gabe Vasquez has won one of the toughest House seats in the country twice. He’s spent his time in Congress on the things that actually move people’s lives — economic opportunity, reproductive healthcare, the cost of care. We’ve been with him since 2022, and we’re not going anywhere.

Rebecca Bennett is the candidate we exist to find and back early — and last night she romped. She’s a former Navy helicopter pilot and aircraft commander who spent fifteen years in uniform, a healthcare leader, and a mom of two. She got into this race sixteen months ago, before NJ-07 was on most people’s radar, and she just cleared a crowded primary field by a mile — through a wall of dark money from national Republican groups trying to stop her. That’s the kind of test we want a candidate to pass before November, not during it, and she passed with flying colors.

And the matchup could not be better. NJ-07 is one of a handful of true toss-ups that will decide the House — Trump carried it by a single point in 2024. Her opponent, Tom Kean Jr., hasn’t cast a vote since March. He’s missed nearly a hundred of them. He’s been out of public view for three months and counting. Rebecca put it best on primary night: “Tom Kean Jr., wherever you are.” NJ-07 deserves a representative who actually shows up — a pilot who literally answered the call for fifteen years.

And, last month, Scranton, PA Mayor Paige Cognetti officially became the Democratic nominee in PA-08. This is our pipeline in action. Thanks in part to our friends at , we backed her as a mayor who ran as “Paige Against the Machine,” took on corruption, and delivered back-to-back budget surpluses. Now, she’s bringing that energy to her campaign for Congress against Rob Bresnahan — a guy who campaigned on banning congressional stock trading, then became one of the busiest traders in Congress.

Not every race went our way last night. Iowa state Senator Zach Wahls — who we have supported since 2022 and endorsed for the U.S. Senate — came up short in his primary. We were proud to endorse him as he looked to take the next step in his career of leadership and service. Zach spent years fighting for working families in the Iowa Senate, and he had the courage to get into this race when Joni Ernst was still planning to run for re-election, because a better future for Iowa and all Americans is worth fighting for. He poured everything into this campaign, and we’re grateful for him. Our organization will be rooting for state Rep. Josh Turek as he takes on Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson in November.

This is our theory of change at work: supporting our leaders as they grow and take big swings in these tough fights, and being for them when they win and, at times, fall short of their goal. In 2025 we went 10-for-10, from Abigail Spanberger and Jay Jones in Virginia to Mayors Gina Ortiz Jones in San Antonio and Mary Sheffield in Detroit. Across 2023–2024, we backed 50 candidates, had a 70% win rate and an average win margin of just under 3%, and put $3.1 million behind them.

And we’re just getting started this month. Next Tuesday, June 9, we’ve got candidates on the ballot in two more states.

In Nevada, Sandra Jauregui is running for Lieutenant Governor — the same Sandra Jauregui who once won her Assembly seat by 257 votes, the kind of margin we live for, and who’s spent the years since becoming one of the most effective leaders in the statehouse. Zach Conine, who took Nevada to the highest credit rating in its history as State Treasurer, is running for Attorney General. And Ryan Hampton is on the ballot for the Nevada Assembly.

In North Dakota, Josh Boschee — a former state House minority leader — is running to be the next mayor of Fargo. Another leader we found in the statehouse, ready to go run a city.

Primaries are step one. We'll be right there with all of them — the four who won last night, and the four on the ballot next week — through November.

And, we’ll keep doing the work to find and support the next Zach Wahls, the next Sarah Trone Garriott, and the next Sandra Jauregui — because winning a Democratic primary isn’t the finish line. It’s just the beginning of the fight to build the pipeline of the next generation of leaders in our party who can win in November.

Make a contribution to The Next 50 PAC to support our work here.

People ask me how I won those first competitive primary and general elections, and they anticipate hearing that a silver-bullet tactic is what did the job.

The honest answer is both simpler and harder than modeling turnout and raising money: my team and I outworked everyone in the field. We knocked on doors in neighborhoods where Democrats hadn’t shown up in years. I sat in people’s living rooms and I actually listened — not to craft a message, but because I genuinely needed to understand what my community wanted from their representative. And I ran as myself. Not a consultant’s version of me, not a focus-grouped approximation of what the district wanted to see. Just myself — honest about what I believed, and clear about why.

That experience is the foundation of how I guide our leaders at The Next 50. Not as nostalgia, but as instruction.

Because what made those races winnable — the combination of principled conviction, relentless energy, and an absolute focus on winning rather than performing — is exactly what I look for in every candidate we consider supporting today. It’s not the most common profile. It’s not the candidate who tests best in a room full of consultants, or has the most perfect resume. But it’s the candidate who can win a district that Democrats aren’t supposed to win, and then actually govern once they get there.

That matters now more than ever.

The Democratic Party is in a moment that demands honest reckoning about what works. The evidence from the last several cycles is clear: candidates who lead with shared values and are authentically themselves, who govern pragmatically, and who are focused on results rather than performance are the ones building durable Democratic power in the states and districts that actually determine who controls Washington.

They’re also the most underinvested candidates in the Democratic ecosystem.

The organizations and donors who focus solely on the biggest national races and on the loudest voices — they’re not wrong to do what they do. But they’re leaving the highest-leverage work on the table. The work of identifying leaders who are the bench of the Democratic Party before anyone else sees them. Of being the first national organization to make a call to support a great candidate. Of providing the early resources and relationships that allow a Cisco Aguilar to win a secretary of state race by 2.3 points in Nevada, or a Wes Moore to build a governing coalition in Maryland that includes Republican elected officials.

That early investment in someone’s career–like Sarah Trone Garriott in Iowa–compounds in ways that simply investing in a presidential race never can. And it’s the work we’re going to keep doing — and writing about honestly — in the weeks ahead.

It gets built by exceptional candidates who step up before the race is on anyone’s radar, and by organizations willing to make the bet on them before anyone else will. That’s what we do at The Next 50. And today, we’re announcing our endorsement of four phenomenal candidates for state legislature in four different battlegrounds. Meet them:

Robyn Vining — Wisconsin State Senate

State Rep. Robyn Vining made history in 2018 as the first Democrat to flip a legislative seat on Wisconsin’s aggressively gerrymandered maps. She held it in 2020. Won a safe seat in 2022. Flipped another in 2024. Now she’s running for State Senate District 5 — an open seat that many are calling the most flippable in the most flippable chamber in America.

Robyn knows what financial insecurity feels like — she was a WIC mom, an EpiPen mom, a small business owner navigating the kind of economic uncertainty that far too many Wisconsin families face right now. She still says her body has the “muscle memory” to remember those days. This isn’t just a talking point for Robyn; it’s who she is and she takes that with her every day to Madison when she’s fighting for her community.

Flipping the Wisconsin Senate is one of the most important opportunities on the entire 2026 map, federal, state, or local. We’re thrilled to be in it for Robyn.

Anna Aho Rink — Michigan State House, 109th District

Anna Aho Rink spent more than 17 years as a physician assistant at Planned Parenthood Marquette — the only Planned Parenthood in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. In April 2025, Trump’s federal funding cuts forced it to close. Thousands of patients lost access. This moment pushed Anna to run for office.

She’s a fourth-generation Yooper, born and raised in Marquette. Her husband is a police officer. Her kids go to Marquette public schools. She has spent two decades navigating the barriers her neighbors face trying to access quality, affordable healthcare — and she has spent those same two decades providing care in spite of the challenges. Now, she’s running for office to make change on the other side of those barriers.

The Republican she’s running against has compared vaccines to the Holocaust, denied the 2020 election, denied climate change, and said on tape that he doesn’t believe women should have autonomy over their own bodies.

There is nobody better suited than Anna to take him on. The 109th could be the tipping-point seat for reclaiming the Michigan House majority and it’s crucial for Democrats to run candidates in rural areas like Anna who are rooted in community. We’re proud to stand with Anna and excited to see her flip this must-win seat.

Jacob Martinez — Arizona State House, Legislative District 9

Jacob Martinez is 24 years old. He’s a lifelong Mesa resident, a U.S. Navy Reservist, and a third-year law student at Arizona State University. He launched his campaign in late December and has already earned the endorsement of the ADLCC and every incumbent in Legislative District 9 — including fellow The Next 50 leader Lorena Austin. He faces no primary challenger.

For Democrats to win control of the Arizona House, they must win both house seats in LD-9. Jacob has the support, the work ethic, and the instincts to win this race. At 24, he reminds me of something I know firsthand: being young isn’t automatically disqualifying. Take it from me: running a great campaign, rooted in the community with support from across the district and country is what it will take for Jacob to win. We’re thrilled to be on his team.

Ryan Hampton — Nevada State Assembly, District 9

Ryan Hampton’s father was a Teamster who drove cross-country for Mayflower until his passing during Ryan’s teenage years. Ryan went on to organize nurses to win their right to unionize, support Walmart workers fighting for fair wages, and then — after navigating addiction, crediting Medicaid with saving his life — founded Mobilize Recovery, now the largest recovery advocacy network in the United States.

He delivered one million free doses of Naloxone across 24 states. He organized 500 survivors in a landmark protest outside Purdue Pharma. In 2019, the U.S. Department of Justice appointed him to represent more than 120,000 victims in the Purdue Pharma bankruptcy — the largest in American history.

Now he’s running for Nevada Assembly District 9 — a seat decided by fewer than 1,000 votes in 2024. Nevada’s primary is June 9, which means the window to shape this race is right now. Early dollars in a competitive primary don’t just help — they decide who’s on the ballot in November.

These are the bets we make at The Next 50: early, high-conviction, in races that matter. Not because the outcome is guaranteed, but because the candidate is exceptional and the moment is real.

If you want to support this work — or learn more about what we’re building in Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, and Nevada — send me a note at mari@thenext50.us or visit thenext50.us.

Onward!

— Mari

Emily Gregory — a mom of three, Army spouse, and small business owner from Jupiter, Florida — flipped Florida House District 87, a Trump +11 seat that literally encompasses Mar-a-Lago. President Trump himself voted absentee against her. She won anyway.

Emily’s path to the statehouse is a story we’ve told before, because it’s the story TN50 was built to tell. She didn’t come up through party ranks. She built FIT4MOM Palm Beach into a countywide community for new and expecting mothers, listened to her neighbors talking about high property insurance costs and public schools, and decided she had to do something about it. When Governor DeSantis refused to call the special election after the seat sat vacant for months, she sued him. Then she won.

That’s the kind of principled, pragmatic, energetic, and focused leader that TN50 bets on. And last night, it paid off.

Introducing the Emerging Leaders Program

Emily’s win is the capstone of a new initiative we launched this cycle: the TN50 Emerging Leaders Program. While TN50 has always been known for early, high-conviction investment and political support for next-generation leaders, the Emerging Leaders program is a complement to that work — a late-investment program designed specifically for down-ballot races where exceptional candidates are doing all the things necessary to win, and where a small infusion of resources in the final stretch can be decisive.

In local and state legislative races, budgets are tight, and closing even a $10,000 gap can mean the difference between running a full voter contact program or going dark in the final week. That’s where we come in.

This cycle, we backed six candidates through the program, making contributions and convening support from partners and friends in the ecosytem in the final stretch of these leaders’ campaigns. Four won — and the other two ran in genuinely difficult terrain.

Meet This Cycle’s Emerging Leaders

Emily Gregory — FL House District 87 ✅ Mom, Army spouse, FIT4MOM founder. Ran on insurance costs, public education, and healthcare. Flipped a Trump+11 special election seat in one of the most symbolically significant districts in America.

Danny Ceisler — Bucks County, PA Sheriff ✅ Bronze Star recipient, Army Reserve officer, and former senior public safety official in Governor Josh Shapiro’s administration. Flipped a seat previously held by a Republican who had worked with ICE.

Shawn Lavin — Amherst, NY Town Supervisor ✅ 21-year Air National Guard Major, sitting Town Board member, author of the Transparency in Budget Process Law. Deployed to COVID-19 relief in New York City and Hurricane Helene recovery in North Carolina.

Erika Carlsen — Salt Lake City, UT City Councilor, District 5 ✅ Harvard Divinity School graduate, co-founder of the Ballpark Action Team, career civic leader. Winning in Utah is its own kind of message.

What This Tells Us About 2026

The Democratic Party has long had an aversion to bench-building and long-term investment in its leaders. At TN50, we’re solving that problem. We know there are exceptional leaders across this country — running in tough districts, working with lean budgets, who have compelling stories and real records of leadership — who just need us to show up early and not only say: we believe in you, but actually make the investment in next generation leadership.

That’s what TN50 does, and what the Emerging Leaders Program adds is a new capability to our already successful track record (we went 10 for 10 in 2025 among our endorsed leaders, and had a 70% win rate in 2024): the ability to find those candidates later in the cycle, but early in their electoral careers, when the data is telling us to make a move and the investment can be most impactful.

Every one of the four winners from this cohort is someone we expect to be considered for TN50’s full endorsement in a future cycle. We’re watching, we’re investing, and we’re proud. If you want to support our work, you can do so here.

More to come.

— Mari Manoogian, Executive Director, The Next 50

I often think about this quote from one of my favorite athletes—and I think it perfectly captures what we’re doing at The Next 50.

With 2025 in the rear view mirror, I want to reflect on what we’ve built together—and where we’re headed. This year provided an indication that our approach works: early investment in principled, pragmatic leaders who understand that governing isn’t performance art, it’s delivering results for working families.

We’ve been building the fire for years. Identifying talented leaders early. Providing sustained support through multiple cycles. Adding fuel with strategic investments, comprehensive training, and network access. In 2026, we light the match.

A Year of Transition and Growth

This past May, I stepped into the role of Executive Director, taking over from Iowa state Senator Zach Wahls as he took on the challenge of running for the U.S. Senate. Leadership transitions provide a valuable opportunity to assess where an organization has been and chart where it’s headed.

Since The Next 50’s founding in 2019, we’ve grown into the premier organization supporting next-generation Democratic leaders. Over the course of this year, we’ve refined how we talk about our work: we identify and support principled, pragmatic, energetic, and focused leaders who will lead the Democratic Party out of the wilderness. This isn’t just language—it reflects a strategic commitment to backing candidates who prioritize governing over performing, who build coalitions rather than simply playing to the base, and who deliver measurable results for working people. Our core mission of identifying talented candidates early, providing sustained support over multiple election cycles, and building the leadership pipeline that will shape the Democratic Party and American politics for decades—remains the foundation of everything we do.

And 2025 demonstrated that vision in action. We’re not just supporting candidates in their first races—we’re backing them as they seek greater leadership opportunities and take steps to run for higher office. We’re seeing this work really begin in earnest with leaders like Michigan state Senator Mallory McMorrow, who is running for the U.S. Senate, Iowa state Senator Sarah Trone Garriott, who is running for congress in IA-03, and Nevada state Assemblymember Sandra Jauregui, who is running for Lieutenant Governor. This multi-cycle investment strategy is the underpinning of our approach: identify talented leaders early in their careers, provide real support over time, and stand with leaders as they move from state legislatures to statewide and federal office. This is how we build the Democratic bench for the next 50 years.

The Next 50’s 2025 By the Numbers

We’ve made 35 endorsements so far this cycle. In 2025 alone, we went 10-for-10 in races where we had endorsements. Add in our alumni races (2-for-2) and our late-money down-ballot interventions (3-for-4), and you see the pattern: early talent identification, sustained support, and strategic investment produces wins.

We’ve invested $450,000 directly into our candidates’ campaigns in 2025—more than we distributed in the entire 2024 cycle. These are strategic investments at the moments when they matter most, often when we’re the first major national supporter stepping up to support a down ballot candidate, or are able to move the needle early on in a quarter for a congressional candidate.

2025 Electoral Wins: From Statehouses to City Halls

Our 10-for-10 endorsement record in 2025 demonstrated the power of strategic, early investment across multiple levels of government.

In Virginia, we helped Democrats flip partisan control of the executive branch. Former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger, who TN50 supported when she was in Congress, made history as Virginia’s first woman governor, defeating her Republican opponent by over 15 points. She built her campaign around lowering costs and pragmatic kitchen-table issues, rejected partisan litmus tests, and never stopped listening to constituents who don’t show up at political rallies.

Former Delegate Jay Jones won his Attorney General race, and we helped flip two Virginia House seats–Lily Franklin and Kimberly Pope Adams–and supported Del. Michael Feggans’ run to retain his seat.

Our mayoral investments reflected our strategic understanding that mayors are among the most trusted public servants and it is imperative for rebuilding our party brand that we support Democratic mayors who governing effectively. Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb won reelection with 74% of the vote. His RISE initiative reduced homicides by 36%, and as President of the Democratic Mayors Association, he’s become a national voice for pragmatic Democratic leadership.

We backed Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti‘s successful reelection, supported Canton, NC Mayor Zeb Smathers whose deep roots and leadership position him well for higher office, invested in Gina Ortiz Jones‘s campaign for San Antonio Mayor, and supported now Mayor Mary Sheffield in Detroit.

From governors to mayors to state representatives, our 2025 wins built the pipeline of leaders who can advance to higher office while demonstrating that Democrats can deliver measurable results.

Our 2026 Endorsements for the House & Senate

In 2026, we’re supporting five red-to-blue House candidates, including Reps. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) and Gabe Vasquez (NM-02), and were very early supporters of three campaigns that are challenging Republicans: Sarah Trone Garriott (IA-03), Cait Conley (NY-17), and Paige Cognetti (PA-08).

We were also a first day supporter of Mallory McMorrow in her U.S. Senate run in Michigan and are supporting Congressman Chris Pappas for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire, and Zach Wahls for U.S. Senate in Iowa. Each of these candidates are representative of our core mission; supporting and developing leaders over multiple campaign cycles as they seek higher office.

Our Partnerships

This year, we sought to develop partnerships with organizations and peers across the Democratic ecosystem whose work is complimentary to ours and works in service of our leaders. From NewDEAL to Third Way, from Vote Save America to Welcome, we sought to strengthen existing connections and develop new ones.

In the spring, we formalized our partnership with NewDEAL, in an effort to create a comprehensive support network that moves talented candidates from winning elections to governing effectively to advancing to higher office.

This year, NewDEAL has added several TN50 leaders to their network: North Carolina State Representative Dante Pittman and AG Jeff Jackson, Pennsylvania State Representative Jen O’Mara, Georgia State Representative Sam Park, Iowa State Senator Sarah Trone Garriott, Virginia Delegate Michael Feggans, Alaska State Representative Genevieve Mina, Michigan State Representative Mai Xiong, and Nevada Assemblywoman Elaine Marzola.

We’ve endorsed three NewDEAL Leaders running for executive office: Canton, NC Mayor Zeb Smathers, Scranton, PA Mayor Paige Cognetti, and Nevada Treasurer Zach Conine, who is running for Attorney General.

This summer, we sponsored Welcome’s “Welcome Fest,” and in the fall co-hosted a training with Third Way and NewDEAL for congressional candidates focused on how to run and win as a pragmatic moderate in competitive territory. We sponsored the Vote Save America Action Hub at Crooked Con. And during DCCC fly-in week, we hosted a dinner specifically for the campaign managers of our congressional candidates—reflecting our understanding that investing in campaigns means investing in the teams that run them.

What’s Ahead in 2026

At The Next 50, we’re building the bench of proven winners in competitive territory—leaders who can govern effectively and have the potential to advance to higher office or expand their leadership.

The Next 50’s leaders don’t agree on every issue, and that’s exactly the point. They talk about the issues that Americans care about in concrete terms. They refuse to be defined by their opponents. They champion Democratic values without sounding like the faculty lounge. They run campaigns that are authentic and connected to their communities. They’re running to win, and govern.

Going 10-for-10 in 2025 validates our talent identification process. Distributing over $450,000 this year provides an early advantage to these campaigns. This kind of early support will determine which campaigns can scale effectively as they build momentum in the on year.

2026 is when the work we’ve done to build this talent pipeline pays off.

Each endorsement represents a strategic investment in Democratic leadership infrastructure that will pay dividends for decades. We identified them early. We provided sustained support. Now, our leaders at The Next 50 are positioned to shape not just the Democratic Party’s future, but the future of our country.

The next 50 years of American politics will be shaped by the decisions we make today. The candidates we support now. The leaders we develop over multiple cycles. The majorities we build through strategic investment in competitive districts.

The fight continues. And we’re just getting started. Thank you for being part of this work and supporting The Next 50.

Here’s to 2026—and the next 50 years of Democratic leadership,

Mari Manoogian
Executive Director, The Next 50

The Next 50 identifies and supports principled, pragmatic, energetic, and focused next-generation candidates who will lead the Democratic Party into the future. Support our work atthenext50.us/donate

I was on a panel talking about the state of American politics, and I did what I always do: I talked about our candidates. Not in some abstract, consultant-driven way, but about what they’re actually doing — how they’re showing up every day in battlegrounds, laser-focused on the costs and kitchen table issues that American families are facing.

And then something unexpected happened. When it was his turn to speak, the Republican panelist said he “agreed with literally everything” I’d just said. You can see it for yourself in the clip above.

It was a reminder that when Democrats are focused and lead with solutions — real, tangible answers to the problems people face — we win.

This Is What It Looks Like:

In Iowa, Sarah Trone Garriott is running for Congress in IA-03, and she’s not mincing words. Every day, she’s communicating with voters about how Washington is selling out Iowa farmers and families and making life unaffordable. That’s the message. That’s the campaign.

In Michigan, Christina Hines — a Macomb County attorney and former sex crimes and child abuse prosecutor — is running in MI-10 to make government work for the people again. Not for special interests. For people.

In Wisconsin, the Assembly Democratic Leader Greta Neubauer is charting a path for her caucus to flip the Assembly chamber by focusing on lowering healthcare costs, expanding access to child care, and ensuring government delivers results for families struggling with rising costs.

These aren’t talking points. This is what principled, pragmatic, energetic, and focused leadership looks like in action.

Why We Do This

The Next 50 isn’t about spreading ourselves thin or chasing every race. We make 50 carefully selected endorsements per cycle — high-conviction early investments in leaders under 50 who we believe in. We don’t just write a check or send a tweet. We provide strategic counsel, open donor networks, and become true partners to these campaigns.

This year, we went 9-for-9 in some of 2025’s most competitive races and raised and bundled $515,000 for our candidates.

That’s not luck. That’s what happens when you invest early in the right people.

When I was 26 and flipped a historically Republican district in Michigan, I learned firsthand what next-generation leaders are capable of when someone believes in them early. That’s what we do at The Next 50. We find them. We back them. We help them win.

And we’re just getting started. Join us: thenext50.us

Fifteen conferences featuring mayors who turned around struggling cities. State legislators who made government work. Leaders who proved that pragmatic, results-oriented governance isn’t just good policy—it’s good politics.

I know this firsthand. As a NewDEAL Leader during my time in the Michigan House, I experienced how the network pushes you to be better. The most impressive peers I met—the ones who made me think differently about what was possible in a state legislature—were NewDEAL Leaders. The leaders who won tough races and kept winning weren’t the ones with the most polished talking points. They were the ones fixing roads, lowering costs, and showing up consistently for their communities.

Why This Anniversary Matters Now

The overwhelming Democratic victories in Virginia and New Jersey weren’t accidents. As NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan put it, they “represent a clear repudiation of Trump and Trumpism and a reminder that when Democrats put forward compelling candidates focused on the right issues, voters will give us the opportunity to lead.”

Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger and Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill ran on affordability, opportunity, and healthcare solutions. Kitchen-table issues. The stuff people actually talk about around their dinner tables.

Nearly two dozen NewDEAL Leaders won their elections in 2025. From Albany Mayor Dorcey Applyrs to Virginia Delegate Michael Feggans–who is a longtime TN50 leader. These aren’t just wins—they’re proof of concept that good politics requires good ideas, and that effective governance builds the trust needed to win elections.

The leaders who succeed in tough districts aren’t trying to be everything to everyone. They’re focused. They’re pragmatic. They deliver results. And they understand that government’s role isn’t just to deliver services—it’s to empower Americans to build better lives for themselves and their families.

Building the Pipeline Together

Earlier this year, The Next 50 and NewDEAL announced a strategic partnership that formalizes what we’ve been doing organically for years—identifying talent early and supporting Democrats who get things done and have what it takes to lead the Democratic Party out of the wilderness and into governing. For me personally, it’s coming full circle: from being a NewDEAL Leader in the Michigan state legislature to now leading an organization partnering with NewDEAL to build the next generation of that bench.

Look at the track record: since 2018 alone, 57 NewDEAL Leaders have risen to higher office. Historically, one in four NewDEAL Leaders goes on to win higher office. That’s not luck—that’s intentional talent development.

And here’s what’s remarkable: these leaders don’t just win elections—they become more effective once they’re part of the NewDEAL network. According to the Center for Effective Lawmaking, state legislators selected as NewDEAL Leaders performed about 20% above their benchmarks on average before joining NewDEAL and 38% above their benchmarks after joining. Of NewDEAL state legislators, 69% hold one or more leadership roles in their caucuses and committees.

This is what a real bench looks like. Leaders we’ve both worked with—Senator Ruben Gallego, Congresswoman Sarah McBride, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum, state Senator Mallory McMorrow—they’re not just holding office. They’re leading. They’re changing what’s possible.

Our partnership combines The Next 50’s electoral backing and early investment with NewDEAL’s policy expertise and leadership development. We’re creating a clear pathway for rising stars: win tough races, govern effectively, access the resources and mentorship needed to keep climbing.

This matters because the Democratic Party needs leaders who can win in 2026, 2028, and beyond. Not just in deep blue districts, but in the purple and, yes, even red, places where elections are decided by hundreds of votes.

What Fifteen Annual Conferences Have Taught Us

For fifteen years, the NewDEAL conference has been a gathering place for a critical insight: the best ideas come from outside Washington, D.C. And more importantly, good politics requires good ideas—real solutions that make people’s lives better.

Their “Roadmap” Substack and annual Ideas Challenge showcase this perfectly. When San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan tackles homelessness with “responsibility to shelter,” that’s a real solution to a real problem. When Governor Josh Shapiro eliminates four-year degree requirements for 92% of state jobs, that’s meeting people where they are and making government work.

These aren’t theoretical policy papers. These are leaders understanding that government’s role isn’t just to deliver services—it’s to empower Americans. To create pathways to opportunity. To remove barriers that keep families from building better lives.

At The Next 50, we look for candidates who are principled, pragmatic, energetic, and focused. NewDEAL has been vetting for essentially the same qualities for fifteen years– “carefully chosen, pragmatic, results-oriented leadership.”

The Work Ahead

Looking toward 2026, the path forward is clear. As Debbie Cox Bultan said: “Democrats must double down on laying out our vision for our nation, putting forward candidates who show true leadership, prioritizing solutions that address Americans’ everyday challenges, and standing up against the dangerous approach and ineffective policies put forward by the President and his allies.”

This effort begins with state and local leaders. They’re on the front lines. They’re proving that good policy is good politics. They’re building trust in communities that have every reason to be skeptical of politicians.

This week, NewDEAL’s 15th Anniversary Conference will bring together hundreds of these leaders to share strategies, showcase innovative solutions, and chart the path forward for 2026. It’s exactly the kind of gathering our party needs right now—focused on what works, led by people who are actually doing the work.

The Next 50 is proud to be NewDEAL’s partner in this work. We’re identifying candidates early—often before anyone else is paying attention. We’re providing early support and sustained investment. We’re betting on leaders who can win the toughest races and govern effectively once they’re in office.

Over fifteen annual conferences, NewDEAL has shown that investing in pragmatic, results-oriented state and local leaders isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s the only sustainable path forward for the Democratic Party.

Here’s to fifteen more years of bringing the best leaders together to build the bench!

Mari Manoogian
Executive Director, The Next 50

New polling makes it crystal clear: state Senator Sarah Trone Garriott (STG) isn’t just leading incumbent Zach Nunn — she’s crushing this race in ways that reveal exactly what kind of candidate can win in tough districts. And the data validates what The Next 50 saw in STG years ago when we first invested in her state Senate races: Sarah Trone Garriott a winner and an exceptional leader who will be a phenomenal member of Congress.

The Numbers Tell a Story

Sarah Trone Garriott leads Congressman Zach Nunn 53%-40% — a commanding 13-point advantage in a district that went for Trump just a year ago.

But raw topline numbers only tell part of the story. What separates STG from other candidates is how she performs compared to a generic Democrat. While a generic Democrat leads Nunn just 45%-42% (a modest 3-point edge, within the margin of error), STG outperforms by 10 full points.

The poll also tested both STG and her primary opponent, state Rep. Jennifer Konfrst. Both lead Nunn overall (Konfrst by 50-42, STG by 53-40), showing that the environment is favorable to Democrats. But when you dig into the crosstabs, STG’s margins reveal a fundamentally different kind of campaign–one that has built the foundation to win come November 2026, even if the environment becomes less favorable overall to Democrats.

Among the most persuadable voters in the district — the swing voters, the soft partisans, the people who will decide the outcome of this race:

• Trone Garriott leads 47-19 (a 28-point margin)

• Konfrst leads 38-26 (a 12-point margin)

STG isn’t simply consolidating the base or just turning out loyal Democrats. She’s demonstrating a unique ability to win over the voters Democrats typically struggle with — the ones who split tickets and voted for Trump but have voted for Democrats in the past, and voters who want real leadership instead of the partisan games that Nunn has been playing.

The regional breakdowns are equally revealing. In Polk County (home to Des Moines), both Democratic candidates perform similarly — both win 57-36. But in suburban Dallas County, STG leads 53-34 while Konfrst leads 49-43. In the less urban parts of the district — places where Democrats need to compete to win majorities — STG leads 41-50 while Konfrst trails 33-55.

Perhaps most striking: STG wins 23% of self-described “weak” Republicans, compared to just 8% for her opponent. This is what coalition expansion looks like in practice and what it will take to win this district.

The Environment Is Ripe for Democrats

The poll also reveals why this district is winnable — and why STG is uniquely positioned to capitalize on voter frustration.

Trump is underwater on his overall job approval, with just 46% of voters approving and 53% disapproving. But he’s in even worse shape on the economy — the issue voters consistently say matters most. Among all voters, Trump is underwater 45-53 on handling jobs and the economy, and 41-59 on handling affordability and cost of living.

Among generic ballot undecided voters — the true swing voters who will decide this race — Trump’s numbers are catastrophic:

• 14 points underwater on jobs and the economy (38% approve / 52% disapprove)

• 35 points underwater on affordability and cost of living (31% approve / 66% disapprove)

These aren’t marginal voters who lean Republican but haven’t made up their minds. These are genuinely persuadable voters who are furious about the cost of groceries, gas, healthcare, and housing — and they blame Trump and the Republican majority in Congress for failing to deliver relief.

Meanwhile, incumbent Zach Nunn is upside down on both favorability (37% favorable / 46% unfavorable) and job approval (37% approve / 48% disapprove). Despite high name recognition, Nunn has failed to convince voters he’s fighting for them. He’s viewed as just another partisan politician more interested in Washington games than Iowa families.

The Next 50’s Long-Term Investment Paying Off

Sarah Trone Garriott is one of The Next 50’s greatest success stories — and the best example of what it means to actually build the bench.

We’ve supported STG twice before: first in 2022, when she ousted the incumbent Iowa Senate President to flip a seat in one of the most expensive legislative races in the state, and again in 2024, when she won re-election by just 29 votes in a Trump +5 district. When STG was considering a run for Congress this cycle, The Next 50 provided the political expertise, encouragement, and strategic support she needed to take the leap.

STG has actually flipped two different Iowa State Senate districts — one in 2020 after running for the first time, and another in 2022 after redistricting put her in a new seat. She is the only Democrat in Iowa to accomplish this feat. That’s not luck. That’s a proven ability to connect with voters across the political spectrum, to build coalitions in tough territory, and to win when the margins are razor-thin.

This is exactly the kind of track record The Next 50 looks for: leaders who don’t just win safe seats, but who can expand the map and compete in districts Democrats need to win majorities.

The results speak for themselves. STG raised approximately $231,000 on her first day in the race and $350,000 in her first quarter — more than twice her primary opponent. She’s now raised more than $1 million total, a testament to both grassroots enthusiasm and strategic donor engagement. She’s built a robust communications operation that’s already generating significant earned media coverage from The Des Moines Register and Iowa Capital Dispatch, establishing her as the frontrunner before the primary has even been decided.

The Bottom Line: What This Race Means for 2026

IA-03 isn’t just another competitive House race. It’s one of a handful of districts that will determine whether Democrats can take back the House majority in 2026. Democrats need to flip seats in places like Iowa — competitive districts where Trump margins are narrow and voters are frustrated with Republican incumbents.

The polling is unambiguous: Sarah Trone Garriott is the strongest Democrat to defeat Zach Nunn and flip IA-03. She outperforms a generic Democrat by 10 points. She dominates among persuadable voters by a 28-point margin. She wins crossover Republicans. She performs better in the suburbs and rural areas where Democrats need to compete. She’s raised more money than any other candidate in the race.

The Next 50 has been with STG since 2022. We’ve watched her run incredibly tough races and win, even when the results were so close they required recounts, and build the kind of authentic connection with voters that you can’t fake. We helped her get ready for this moment because we knew it was coming.

When you invest in leaders early, stay with them through multiple cycles, and help them level up when they’re ready for higher office, this is what you get – a candidate who is building a strong campaign and the proven ability to win tough races in tough territory.

Sarah Trone Garriott is showing us exactly how to flip IA-03 and take back the House. The data backs it up. The track record backs it up. The voters are responding.

This is how we will win.

The Change Research poll was conducted October 23-27, 2025, surveying 638 likely 2026 voters in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District with a modeled margin of error of 4.3%. More information is available at changeresearch.com.

Let’s be clear about who is responsible for this shutdown: Republicans shut down the government and inflicted 40 days of needless cruelty on American families. They refused to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies that keep healthcare affordable for millions. They let federal workers line up at food banks to feed their families. They forced air traffic controllers to work without pay while flight delays mounted. They allowed SNAP benefits to lapse. Over 670,000 workers were furloughed. Another 730,000 worked without paychecks.

Republicans created this crisis. They could have ended it at any moment by simply extending healthcare subsidies. Instead, they chose cruelty.

We recognize the real hardship this shutdown caused. Federal workers are our neighbors—real people with mortgages, kids, and bills. We understand why some senators felt the pain had gone on long enough.

Here’s what makes Sunday’s surrender so infuriating: We just won big on Tuesday.

Democrats swept governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey. We elected a new mayor of New York City who is relentlessly focused on costs. We flipped Georgia Public Service Commission seats. We broke GOP supermajorities in Mississippi. We passed California’s Prop 50 to redraw congressional maps to fight back on the GOP’s gerrymandering across the country. Voters sent us a clear message: they want Democrats to fight back against Republican cruelty and powergrabs. They want us to defend working families against a party that would rather see premiums skyrocket so they can claim they “killed Obamacare” than help people actually afford healthcare.

And what did a handful of Senate Democrats do three days later? Accept a handshake promise of a vote in December—a promise made by people who famously do not keep their word. Not an actual extension of healthcare subsidies. Not even a guarantee that the House will take up the issue. House Speaker Mike Johnson has already said he won’t commit to bringing an ACA extension up for a vote. They traded our only leverage for literally nothing concrete—and 24 million Americans could still lose affordable healthcare because Republicans refuse to help them.

If we were going to cave to Republican cruelty, why put Americans through 40 days of pain first? Why wait until after voters gave us a mandate to keep fighting?

This deal has been criticized by all wings of the Democratic Party. Third Way’s Jon Cowan put it plainly: “This was a battle worth fighting, and it was worth fighting longer.” For 40 days, Democrats drove the debate and put Republicans on their heels. All factions of the party were unified against Republican cruelty. And then we walked away without getting anything tangible on lowering healthcare costs.

What should we have done instead?

We should have used Tuesday’s momentum to hold the line against Republicans. We should have made them own every single day of this shutdown—make them explain to constituents why they’ll shut down the government rather than help families afford healthcare. Make them defend letting premiums skyrocket by 75% or more. Make them answer for choosing tax cuts for the wealthy over healthcare for working families.

Republicans were losing this fight—and they were counting on Democrats to blink first. And that’s exactly what happened.

But here’s what gives us hope: the next generation of Democratic leaders understands that you can’t negotiate with cruelty by surrendering to it. And, they acted quickly to communicate their views with the public.

Mallory McMorrow, a state Senator in Michigan who is running to replace retiring U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) did an excellent job explaining the deal in a rapid response video she posted last night.

Iowa State Senator who is running for the U.S. Senate Zach Wahls put it plainly: “Senate Democrats shouldn’t cave—when working families’ health care is on the line, you fight.” New Hampshire Congressman who is also running for the U.S. Senate Chris Pappas made clear he cannot support a deal that puts 24 million Americans at risk of losing their healthcare to Republican obstruction.

U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI)—a Next 50 alumna who was actively involved in shutdown negotiations for weeks—voted no and said what needed to be said: “What’s clear is that the old way of doing business continues to fail America. Leadership is about changing and adapting when there is real need, and unless we hear that, we will fail to meet the moment.”

And U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)—another Next 50 alumnus—stood firm against Republican cruelty: “There’s a phrase in Spanish, ‘Con salud, lo hay todo; sin salud, no hay nada.’ It means ‘With good health you have it all; without your health, you have nothing.’ It’s with that phrase in mind that I stand firm in my decision to vote no so that families across the country can get the health care they need.”

This is the fighter mindset we look for in candidates at The Next 50. The leaders we support understand that when Republicans choose cruelty over compassion, when they manufacture crises to hurt working families, Democrats can’t respond by giving them what they want. We have to fight back.

Tuesday’s results weren’t subtle. TN50 leader Abigail Spanberger won Virginia by exposing Republican failures on the economy. Mikie Sherrill dominated in New Jersey on kitchen-table economics. Zohran Mamdani won New York with over a million votes calling out how the cost of living crisis hurts working families. Democrats won Latinos by 2-to-1 margins by standing up to Republican talking points and showing that they’ve done nothing on the economy to help Americans. We outperformed across the board.

Three days later, Senate Democrats blinked—and Republicans got away with 40 days of manufactured suffering without giving up anything.

This is why The Next 50 is investing in candidates who understand that strength matters when you’re facing down people who do not have a limit to the cruelty and pain they’ll inflict on Americans in order to wield power. Leaders like Mallory McMorrow in Michigan, who immediately condemned this deal. Like Senators Slotkin and Gallego, who refused to reward Republican obstruction with surrender. Like the state legislators and mayors in our network who fight back when Republicans try to hurt their communities.

Tuesday proved what we already knew: voters want fighters. They want leaders who will stand up to Republicans, not surrender to them. They want Democrats who understand that when your opponent is manufacturing suffering to score political points, giving in only invites more cruelty.

The next generation of Democratic leadership is already here. They’re the candidates we’re supporting right now—the ones who know that when Republicans choose cruelty, Democrats must choose to fight. The ones who understand that leverage unused is leverage wasted, especially when your opponent is counting on you to give up.

And in 2026, that’s who the American people will support. The fighters who understand that working families deserve leaders who won’t back down when Republicans make them choose between healthcare and putting food on the table.

We know which side we’re on. And as the American people showed us Tuesday, we know which side wins.

MEMORANDUM

To: Interested Parties
From: Mari Manoogian, Executive Director, The Next 50
Date: November 7, 2025
Re: The Next 50’s 2025 Election Results: High-Conviction Early Investment Delivers Perfect Record

The Next 50 is the angel investor of Democratic bench-building — making high-conviction early investments in next-generation leaders before other organizations are willing to take the risk.

We invest in the next generation of Democratic leaders under 50 in battlegrounds across the country and our unique approach means we operate differently than traditional political organizations.

Unlike other groups, we don’t chase shiny objects or spread our resources thin across hundreds of endorsements. We stay laser-focused on the type of candidates we want to support: leaders who are principled, pragmatic, energetic, and focused.

With just 50 carefully selected endorsements per cycle, we provide transformative early support that includes strategic counsel, donor network access, and intensive campaign partnership—not just a check and a tweet.

In 2025, we raised and bundled $515,000 for our 2025 candidates. This approach delivered a perfect 9-for-9 record across some of this week’s most competitive races.

How We Work Differently

In 2024, our organization had a 70% win rate among candidates we supported, raising and bundling more than $4 million for next-gen leaders in tough races. Our candidates had an average margin of victory of 2.98% and 20% won by 1,000 votes or fewer, including Iowa State Senator Sarah Trone Garriott, whose margin of victory was just 29 votes.

Fundraising is only one element of how we partner with candidates and campaigns. Financial support is just the beginning as we establish relationships and trust that allow us to be strategic partners when campaigns face critical moments and tough decisions.

We don’t have questionnaires and never have. We don’t chase shiny objects. We don’t over-promise and under-deliver. Instead:

• We come in with support first: Often in the first week of a campaign, sometimes before other organizations even know there’s a race worth watching

• We stay in constant contact: Regular communication with campaign managers and candidates, serving as strategic counsel when hard decisions need to be made

• We have greater range of motion: From helping secure early donors and key endorsements to serving as a trusted advisor when candidates face pressure to take inauthentic positions — we do what campaigns actually need, not what fits a predetermined playbook

• We interview campaign managers, not just candidates: We only work with races where we can be a helpful partner, and we care about the teams as much as the candidates themselves

• We stretch every dollar: We are a lean organization and don’t spend money on stupid things that fail to deliver value to our candidates. Rather than spreading ourselves thin across hundreds of endorsements, we have a 50-candidate model and low overhead and deliver intensive, strategic support for each race at critical moments

Campaigns consistently tell us that our support and partnership has been essential to their success — that we deliver on our commitments and provide value beyond the check.

Jay Jones’ Win and the Power of Conviction

Among The Next 50’s 2025 victories, Jay Jones’ win in Virginia’s Attorney General race stands out. We were proud to invest nearly $200,000 in Jones’ campaign and remain committed to his campaign when conventional wisdom questioned his ability to win.

When some donors got skittish, we stayed 10 toes down. While other organizations wavered, The Next 50 never moved. We were on the phone with his team regularly, bundling resources and helping unstick challenges.

When his strong debate performance needed to translate into fundraising momentum, we helped his campaign raise real money when it mattered most. We told Jones and his team: you might have to worry about other organizations, but you don’t need to check in on us — we’re not moving.

Jones won because he stayed laser-focused on a message that resonated with Virginia voters: lowering costs for working families and fighting for Virginians against moneyed interests—not serving as a lapdog for Trump and Republicans. In a Commonwealth bearing the brunt of federal DOGE cuts, this message landed. And it’s a blueprint for how Democrats win in 2026 and beyond: authentic connection to kitchen-table issues, delivered by candidates who understand their communities.

Our investment in Jones wasn’t about one race. It was about backing a leader who will shape Virginia—and the Democratic Party—for years to come. That’s the kind of generational investment we’re proud to make.

A Perfect Record Across the Map

Beyond Jones, The Next 50 swept every race where our candidates appeared on the ballot:

Statewide Leadership: Former CIA case officer and Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger is Virginia’s Governor-elect. The Next 50 has been with Spanberger since her congressional days, supporting her from her bipartisan work in Congress to today as she transitions to the Governor’s mansion — the kind of long-term investment that defines our model.

In the Virginia House of Delegates, we endorsed Delegate Michael Feggans (HD-97) and Delegates-elect Kimberly Pope Adams (HD-82) and Lily Franklin (HD-41), providing early financial support and strategic counsel. In competitive state legislative races where every dollar has maximum impact, these wins demonstrate our ability to identify and support next-generation talent. We also provided support to Delegates Nadarius Clark (HD-79) and Phil Hernandez (HD-94), candidates we endorsed in 2023 and are now alumni of The Next 50.

Mayoral Pipeline: Mayors are the highest-performing profile for running for higher office in competitive races, according to our partners at SplitTicket. That’s why we invested early in:

• Mayor Paige Cognetti (Scranton, PA), who led her city out of 30-year distressed financial status and earned Governor Shapiro’s Secretary’s Award for Municipal Excellence

• Mayor-elect Mary Sheffield (Detroit, MI), who as Council President passed 23 significant pieces of legislation including Inclusionary Housing and Property Tax Reform

• Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones (San Antonio, TX), elected June 2025, defeating Governor Greg Abbott’s hand-picked candidate despite being considerably outspent.

• Mayor Justin Bibb (Cleveland, OH), who is modernizing city services and leading transformative waterfront development as President of the Democratic Mayors Association

• Mayor Zeb Smathers (Canton, NC), who demonstrated steady leadership through unprecedented crises including Hurricane Helene and a mill closure

We also provided late strategic support to several downballot candidates including Sheriff-elect Danny Ceisler in Bucks County, PA, which flipped from Republican to Democratic. Ceisler ran on authentic public safety credentials rooted in his emergency response expertise — proving Democrats can talk about making communities safer by embracing common-sense policy, even in races where ICE and immigration topics dominate the headlines.

When Democrats Connect on Working Family Issues, We Win

These wins share a common thread: candidates who recognize working people are the bulk of our voters. When Democrats campaign on the issues that matter to them in an authentic and truly connected way, we win. That’s the clear throughline from Tuesday night’s Democratic victories.

Jay Jones stayed disciplined on lowering costs. Danny Ceisler focused on real public safety, not partisan talking points. Our House of Delegates candidates connected with their specific communities. Looking ahead to 2026, Mallory McMorrow in Michigan, Zach Wahls in Iowa, and Chris Pappas in New Hampshire — all three Next 50 leaders from previous cycles now running for U.S. Senate — are demonstrating this same discipline.

This is why The Next 50 has never used questionnaires. Being a Democrat doesn’t look the same in Arizona as in Michigan, as in Virginia, as in Iowa. Our candidates connect with their voters on their terms, not Washington’s — speaking authentically to kitchen-table concerns rather than checking ideological boxes or tolerating partisan purity tests.

Looking Ahead: The 2026 Pipeline

The 2026 cycle represents an inflection point for our model. Leaders we’ve supported through multiple cycles are now running for higher office, such as Mallory McMorrow in Michigan and Sarah Trone Garriott in Iowa. We continue making early investments in competitive races months before other organizations commit, while identifying the next generation of state legislative and mayoral candidates who will shape Democratic politics for decades.

As we continue building our 2026 cohort toward our 50-candidate limit, we’re targeting down-ballot races where strategic early investment decides outcomes — the state legislative and local contests often determined by hundreds of votes. These are the leaders running to make majorities, break supermajorities, and build the foundation of Democratic power.

Tuesday night’s perfect record validates what we’ve long believed: sustainable Democratic power comes from early, strategic investment in exceptional leaders who authentically connect with their communities. The Next 50 is building the leadership pipeline Democrats need—one high-conviction bet at a time.

Contact: Mari Manoogian, Executive Director • mari@thenext50.us •

https://thenext50.us

That’s why today, The Next 50 is re-endorsing three leaders who are doing the actual work of governing: Georgia House Minority Whip Sam Park, Wisconsin Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, and Pennsylvania State Representative and DNC Vice Chair Malcolm Kenyatta.

Our organization is proud to make long term investments in leaders who aren’t simply the future, but are already in the rooms where decisions get made—leading caucuses, passing legislation, and rebuilding the Democratic Party from the ground up. Last cycle, we endorsed Reps. Park, Kenyatta, and Neubauer–and we are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with them as they continue to grow in their leadership.

Why These Endorsements Matter

While federal gridlock dominates headlines, state legislatures determine reproductive rights, voting access, healthcare expansion, education funding, and economic policy for millions of Americans. The leaders we’re backing today aren’t just holding seats. They’re using power strategically to deliver results their communities can see and feel, even when they’ve served in the minority party.

Sam Park is fighting to expand Medicaid to 500,000 additional Georgians. That’s 60,000 people just in Gwinnett County—his home county—who would finally have access to healthcare. Park isn’t making abstract arguments about healthcare–he’s doing the legislative work to make it real, using his position as Minority Whip to build coalitions and apply pressure where it counts to deliver for his constituents.

Park became the first openly gay state legislator in Georgia history by flipping a seat in 2016, defeating a three-term Republican incumbent. Now in his fifth term, he’s leveraged that hard-won experience into real influence. In the 2026 cycle, Park will have one of only two leadership accounts in the Georgia House, allowing him to raise unlimited contributions to support legislative candidates directly. That’s not just individual impact—that’s building power.

Greta Neubauer just led Wisconsin Democrats to flip 10 seats in 2024, the largest increase in decades. That’s not an accident—that’s the result of strategic leadership, smart recruitment, and disciplined execution. Now she’s working to flip five more seats to win the first Democratic Assembly majority in Wisconsin in 15 years.

Think about what this could mean for Wisconsinites. Wisconsin has been ground zero for Republican extremism in state government. Neubauer isn’t just defending against it—she’s actively working to take power back. She serves on the powerful Joint Finance Committee, which controls the state budget. When Democrats win the majority, she’ll have the tools to deliver on kitchen-table priorities that have been blocked for over a decade.

Before entering office, Neubauer co-founded and ran a national youth climate organization. She knows how to build movements and translate activism into governance. Her caucus unanimously elected her as leader in 2022 because they trust her to win—and she’s delivering.

Malcolm Kenyatta is rebuilding the Democratic Party’s infrastructure from the inside. As one of the newest Vice Chairs of the Democratic National Committee, he’s traveling the country meeting with voters, organizers, and leaders to understand what we need to fix and how to fix it.

This isn’t performative party politics. Kenyatta is a third-generation North Philadelphian who’s been breaking barriers his entire career—first openly LGBTQ+ person of color elected to the Pennsylvania General Assembly, first to seek a U.S. Senate seat in American history, first nominated for statewide office by a major party in Pennsylvania. In that Auditor General race, he earned nearly 3.1 million votes, the second-highest total for any Democrat on the ticket.

He holds multiple legislative leadership roles, including chairing the Financial Services and Banking Subcommittee and the Government Operations Subcommittee. He’s been a keynote speaker at the Democratic National Convention—twice. And now he’s using all that platform and experience to help Democrats figure out how to talk to voters who feel like the party stopped prioritizing them.

What Makes These Endorsements Different

At The Next 50, we take pride in providing strategic support for exceptoonal next generation Democratic leaders. We back folks who are positioned to make majorities, break supermajorities, and lead the Democratic Party out of the wilderness–and we endeavor to stick with them throughout their careers as they continue to grow.

All three of these leaders have participated in our Civic Leadership Development Program, investing in their own growth as leaders while mentoring the next generation coming up behind them. Through this work, we provide comprehensive support that goes beyond just campaign resources—helping leaders govern effectively from day one.

That matters because we’re not just trying to win individual races. We’re building a pipeline of leaders who can govern effectively, communicate authentically, and advance through higher office over the next several decades.

Park’s work on healthcare access comes from personal experience—his mother’s battle with cancer inspired him to run for office. That authentic connection to policy shows up in how he talks about Medicaid expansion. It’s not abstract. It’s personal.

Neubauer’s climate activism background shows up in her policy priorities, but also in how she builds coalitions and mobilizes people. Youth organizing translates directly to caucus leadership when you understand how to bring people together around shared goals.

Kenyatta’s journey from North Philadelphia to the state legislature to the DNC gives him credibility across many different constituencies. People listen when he talks because he’s lived the challenges he’s working to address.

The Stakes in 2026

Next year’s midterms will determine control of state legislatures across the country. With Park’s leadership account raising resources for Georgia legislative candidates, Neubauer positioned to become Majority Leader in Wisconsin, and Kenyatta helping rebuild the party’s infrastructure nationally, these endorsements represent strategic investments in Democratic power at every level.

Park’s Medicaid expansion fight is exactly the kind of kitchen-table issue that demonstrates Democrats deliver when we’re in power. Healthcare access determines whether families can afford to stay healthy, whether medical debt destroys their finances, whether they can get preventive care before small problems become crises.

Neubauer’s path from Minority Leader to Majority Leader runs through five seats—five races where strategic early investment can flip control of an entire legislative chamber. That’s the difference between Wisconsin passing good legislation and Wisconsin having to rely on the governor’s veto pen to stop Republican extremism.

Kenyatta’s work at the DNC directly impacts whether Democrats can effectively communicate our values and priorities to voters who are skeptical that we understand their lives. He’s not interested in tearing down the party—he’s focused on making it work better for the people it’s supposed to serve.

Why We’re All In

At The Next 50, we back leaders who are principled, pragmatic, energetic, and focused–and we stick with them for the long haul. Park, Neubauer, and Kenyatta check every box.

They’re in the rooms where decisions get made. They’re using that position to deliver real results. They’re building the kind of Democratic power that compounds over time as they advance through higher office.

While Washington stays gridlocked, these leaders are showing there’s a different way forward. They’re fighting for majorities. They’re expanding healthcare. They’re rebuilding trust with voters. They’re doing the work.

That’s why we’re proud to stand with them—and why we hope you will join us in this effort and support our work at thenext50.us.

Yesterday, The Next 50 announced our support for Governor Moore’s re-election campaign. We backed him in 2022 when he made history as Maryland’s first Black Governor, and we’re proud to stand with him again as he runs for re-election.

When Republicans Cross Party Lines

When we look for candidates to endorse, we focus on proven leaders who can build coalitions and deliver results in tough political environments. Here’s what tells you everything about Wes Moore’s approach to governing: Republican leaders are endorsing him for re-election.

Not just any Republicans—former Republican Delegate Carl Anderton, who defeated a Democratic incumbent to serve in Annapolis and voted for Trump in the last presidential election, published an op-ed titled “Wes Moore Fights for the Shore.” Lonaconing Mayor Jack Coburn, who’s been mayor for 27 years in a town where Democrats are hard to find, is backing Moore’s re-election. Rising Sun Mayor Travis Marion is supporting Moore despite disagreeing with him on some issues. Westernport Mayor Judy Hamilton is standing with Moore after he showed up when disaster struck her community.

These aren’t symbolic endorsements. They’re based on what Moore has actually delivered for communities that felt forgotten by Annapolis.

Carl Anderton put it plainly: “I’ve worked with a lot of local leaders and several governors, trust me when I tell you, Wes Moore is different.”

Rising Sun Mayor Travis Marion, despite not agreeing with Moore on everything, said: “His commitment to bipartisanship is why I’m proud to stand alongside him.”

Showing Up Changes Everything

In January 2023, just days after taking office, Governor Moore made the six-hour round trip to Lonaconing when their water treatment system failed. A governor hadn’t visited the town since 1996.

Moore didn’t just deploy state resources—he stayed the entire day to visit local businesses and community members affected across the town. At the end of the day, Mayor Coburn told him: “I can’t guarantee much, but what I can guarantee is you didn’t see a Democrat for miles any way you looked.”

Moore’s response: “Well, I see a lot of Marylanders.”

That’s not a rehearsed line. That’s how he governs.

Since taking office, Moore has made 51 visits to the Eastern Shore. Last week, he became the first governor to visit Smith Island since 1999. But he doesn’t just show up—he brings investment with him: $1.9 billion in education funding, historic investments in rural healthcare and hospitals, $10 million to improve waterways, and strategic support to open and expand businesses in Caroline and Dorchester counties.

His Project Restore initiative brought $150,000 directly to Rising Sun, revitalizing Main Street and breathing new life into vacant storefronts. When disaster struck Westernport, Moore was there. Washington County has seen new business announcements seemingly every week, bringing hundreds of jobs and millions in new economic activity, plus critical investments in I-81.

Delivering on Kitchen-Table Issues

Our endorsement strategy has always prioritized candidates who fight for the issues that matter most to working people—education, public safety, and economic opportunity. Moore’s record on these kitchen-table priorities is exactly why we’re supporting him again.

Moore’s administration has brought Maryland’s teacher vacancy rate down 25% since he took office—the result of passing the Maryland Educator Shortage Reduction Act, putting record funding into public schools for three straight years, and creating Maryland’s first state-sponsored registered apprenticeship program for teachers.

The results show up in classrooms: statewide, nearly every single grade has made improvements in reading and math scores.

On public safety, Baltimore is experiencing 50-year lows in homicides. The city has seen a 32% decrease in homicides, 21% decrease in non-fatal shootings, 33% decrease in carjackings, and 19% decrease in all violent crime. Moore put over $50 million in state funding to Baltimore City law enforcement alone because he understands that safer communities require investment, not just rhetoric.

When Trump shut down the federal government, Moore didn’t wait to see what would happen. He immediately announced a three-step action plan to protect Maryland’s federal workers from eviction, foreclosure, and utility shutoffs. He told Trump directly: “Stop the shutdown. You’re the one causing it. We’re the ones dealing with it.”

That’s leadership under pressure.

An Environmental Record That Delivers

Moore just announced a historic $340 million agreement with Constellation Energy that will lead to real improvements in water quality in the Chesapeake Bay’s biggest tributary while securing the future of one of Maryland’s largest clean energy producers.

This isn’t abstract environmental policy—it’s $87.6 million for water pollution reduction, $77.8 million for trash and debris removal, $28 million for fish passage improvements, and $23.3 million to build a hatchery that will seed the river with mussels to help clean the water naturally.

“The Chesapeake Bay is the keystone to Maryland’s prosperity,” Moore said. “By bringing everyone to the table, we have struck an agreement that is good for the environment, good for energy production, and good for Marylanders.”

That sentence captures his entire governing philosophy: bring everyone to the table, find solutions that work for multiple priorities, and deliver concrete results.

Why Communication Matters

When we first endorsed Wes Moore in 2022, one of the things that set him apart was his ability to communicate complex ideas in ways that resonate across different audiences. That skill has proven even more valuable in office than on the campaign trail.

In an era where too many politicians sound like they’re reading from consultant scripts, Moore speaks like someone who’s lived the challenges he’s working to solve. That authenticity is exactly what The Next 50 looks for in the leaders we support. Born in Takoma Park, his father died of a rare but treatable virus when Wes was just three. His family moved to the Bronx before returning to Maryland when he was 14.

He’s a combat veteran who led soldiers in Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne Division. He’s the first Black Rhodes Scholar in Johns Hopkins University history. He served as a White House Fellow advising on national security. He built BridgeEdU in Baltimore to reinvent freshman year for underserved students. He led the Robin Hood Foundation for four years, distributing over $600 million toward lifting families out of poverty.

But here’s what matters most: when he was CEO of a major New York-based organization, he and First Lady Dawn Flythe Moore chose to raise their children—Mia and James—in Baltimore. That’s not a political calculation. That’s someone invested in his community for the long haul.

His books—including “The Other Wes Moore” and “Five Days” about Baltimore after Freddie Gray’s death—are serious examinations of opportunity, race, and equity in America. Moore can communicate complex ideas clearly because he’s thought deeply about the problems he’s working to solve.

What Re-Endorsement Means

The Next 50 doesn’t just endorse candidates and walk away. We build relationships with our candidates and their teams. We invest in leaders over multiple cycles. We support people who prove they can deliver results and help them solve for any number of challenges that may come their way.

We supported Wes Moore in 2022 because we saw someone with extraordinary potential to lead Maryland and model next-generation Democratic leadership. Now we’re supporting him again because he’s delivering exactly what we believed he could accomplish.

Moore is focused on making Maryland’s public schools the best in America, ending childhood poverty, and ensuring Marylanders can actually afford to live in their own state. His ENOUGH Act includes funding to Dorchester and Caroline counties to end generational childhood poverty. Cambridge was named as one of the first Just Communities, giving them priority access to funding that will increase assets, homeownership, and home values.

This is kitchen-table leadership: concrete goals, measurable outcomes, and relentless focus on making everyday life better for Maryland families—regardless of whether they voted for him.

The Model We Need

Our mission at The Next 50 is to identify and support leaders who will lead our party out of the wilderness and shape Democratic politics for the next five decades. Moore exemplifies exactly what that looks like in practice.

He’s showing Maryland and the nation what’s possible when you combine authentic communication, executive competence, and genuine commitment to opportunity for everyone.

He’s proving that Democrats can win by showing up to communities that feel forgotten, delivering concrete results, and building coalitions that cross party lines. He’s demonstrating that good governance isn’t about ideological purity—it’s about making measurably better outcomes for the people you serve.

Republican mayors are endorsing him. Teacher vacancy rates are dropping. Crime is down. Schools are improving. Rural communities are seeing investment.

This is how you build a bench. This is how you develop leaders who can go the distance—not just winning elections, but governing effectively and building the kind of sustained success that compounds over time. It’s why our early support strategy focuses on leaders like Moore who prove they can deliver year after year.

Maryland deserves another term of the progress Moore is delivering. And the Democratic Party needs to learn from leaders who govern like this—which is exactly why The Next 50 will continue championing his work.

Support next-generation leadership across the country. Contribute to The Next 50 today.

Mari Manoogian is the Executive Director of The Next 50. She previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives after flipping a historically Republican district in Metro Detroit.

While Washington is in chaos amid a government shutdown, two Nevada leaders are showing what principled, pragmatic governance actually looks like on the ground.

Yesterday, The Next 50 endorsed Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar for re-election and Nevada Treasurer Zach Conine for Attorney General. These aren’t feel-good endorsements—they’re strategic investments in leaders who’ve proven they can deliver results in one of America’s most competitive battleground states.

Early Support, Long-Term Relationships

We were Cisco Aguilar’s first national endorsement when he ran for Secretary of State in 2022. He won by 2.30%—a margin as slim as that that shows why getting in early matters. He wasn’t running against just any Republican. He was running against a far-right election denier in a state that would become critical for 2024.

He won. And then he got to work.

As Nevada’s top election official during 2024, Aguilar didn’t just protect Nevada’s elections—he improved them. Under his leadership, Nevada implemented a modernized statewide voter registration system in just fourteen months, increasing security while streamlining the voter experience. Tribal voting turnout increased by 34% during the 2024 election. He also revolutionized Nevada’s business filing system, making it easier to start and grow businesses in the state.

This is what executive leadership looks like: taking on big projects, delivering measurable results, and building something stronger than what you inherited.

From Crisis Response to Attorney General

Zach Conine has been Nevada’s Treasurer since 2019, and his track record speaks for itself. When COVID hit and Nevada’s economy collapsed, Conine didn’t wait for permission—he led the largest aid program in state history, providing over $100 million in emergency grants to 9,400 small businesses and nonprofits. He created Nevada’s first emergency rental assistance program to keep families in their homes during the worst economic crisis in generations.

But here’s what sets Conine apart: he didn’t just respond to crises. He anticipated them.

Conine is Nevada’s first Treasurer to tackle the housing crisis at scale—financing the construction and renovation of almost 10,000 affordable housing units and overseeing more than $850 million in mortgage assistance to first-time Nevada homebuyers. He co-chairs The NewDEAL Forum’s Housing Task Force because he understands that housing affordability isn’t just a policy problem—it’s the defining economic challenge for working families.

Now he’s running for Attorney General because Nevadans deserve a lawyer who isn’t afraid to take on the big fights. And make no mistake—with Trump back in power and corporate interests attacking workers’ rights and consumer protections, those fights are coming.

Why Nevada Matters for the Long Game

Let’s be clear about what’s at stake here.

Nevada will be a battleground state in 2028. Having Cisco Aguilar as Secretary of State ensures professionally run elections when the stakes are highest. Having Zach Conine as Attorney General means Nevada will have a fighter defending workers’ rights, protecting consumers, and holding corporations accountable.

These races also connect to the broader Nevada Democratic strategy. Current Attorney General Aaron Ford is running to unseat Governor Joe Lombardo. That creates an open AG race where Conine’s proven statewide electoral success—he’s the only candidate who has won statewide before—makes him the strongest recruit.

This is how you build sustainable Democratic power: by investing in leaders who deliver results, creating strategic advancement opportunities, and ensuring that when the next crisis hits, we have principled leaders in the right positions.

What Principled and Pragmatic Actually Means

Here’s what I love about both Cisco and Zach: they govern like people who actually have to live with the consequences of their decisions.

Cisco didn’t just defend Nevada’s elections—he made them better. He didn’t just protect the status quo—he innovated and improved systems that had been broken for years.

Zach didn’t just manage Nevada’s finances—he used every tool available to address the housing crisis and support working families. He didn’t wait for perfect solutions—he delivered real results with the resources and authority he had.

This is what the Democratic Party needs more of: leaders who show up, do the work, and deliver for their communities. Leaders who understand that governing isn’t about ideological purity—it’s about making people’s lives measurably better.

The Work Ahead

The 2026 cycle is going to be tough. Trump’s chaos will dominate headlines. Republicans will attack Democratic leaders at every level. Traditional donors might sit out midterms.

But here’s what we know from 2024: margins matter, early support decides elections, and strategic investment in proven fighters pays off.

That’s why we’re endorsing Cisco Aguilar and Zach Conine now—not later, not when it’s convenient, not when everyone else piles on. We’re supporting them because they’ve earned it, because Nevada needs them, and because this is exactly the kind of leadership the Democratic Party needs to find its way out of the wilderness.

Our early support strategy isn’t just our brand—it’s our competitive advantage. When we identify winners early and invest deeply, we create lasting relationships that compound over time. Cisco has been one of our most effective surrogates. Now we’re supporting both his re-election and Zach’s advancement to Attorney General.

This is how you build a bench. This is how you win.

Support principled, pragmatic leadership in Nevada and beyond. Contribute to The Next 50 today.

Mari Manoogian is the Executive Director of The Next 50. She previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives after flipping a historically Republican district.

This morning, our partners at Third Way released a memo that had a lot of people clutching their pearls about language policing. But here's the thing—they weren't wrong about the core issue. But now, after we’ve identified the problem, here’s a take on what everyone means when they say the solution is “talk normal.”

The Language Trap

Here's what I've learned from flipping a Republican district at 26 and then working with dozens of candidates across the country: every minute you spend explaining what you meant to say is a minute you're not spending connecting with voters on the issues they actually care about.

When we say "justice-involved individuals" instead of "people who've been in prison," we're not being more respectful—we're being less honest, and truth be told, people don't know what the hell we're talking about.

The people we're trying to help don't talk like that. The voters we need to win don't talk like that. So why do we?

I'm not saying that we shouldn't tackle these very real, very difficult, oftentimes longstanding policy challenges, with the kind of intellect and precision necessary to make real change. What I am saying is that when we talk about what we're doing, we, at the very least, need to make an effort to truly connect this work with people's lives. That starts with those of us doing this work getting off our laptops and being better listeners—not just listening to hear the opinions of voters but to hear the way our neighbors, longtime friends who don't work in politics, and family members talk about the very real issues facing them each day.

Sports, Reality TV, and Real Connection

When TN50 leader Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez went viral talking about the "Banana Act"—legislation that would literally just let childcare providers cut up fruit for kids—it worked because she sounded like what she is: a working mom frustrated by bureaucratic nonsense. She didn't talk about "regulatory barriers to nutritional accessibility." She talked about not being able to slice a banana.

That's the secret sauce right there. The candidates in our network who perform best aren't the ones with the fanciest policy white papers. They're the ones who can explain housing policy and talk about the latest Bachelorette episode, or talk about climate change in the same tone they use to argue about whether the Lions are finally going to make a real playoff run (please, dear Football Gods, hear my prayer).

Maryland Governor and TN50 Leader Wes Moore is a perfect example—he's a regular caller on Baltimore and Washington sports radio, talking Ravens and Orioles with the same authenticity he brings to governing. He can deliver a minute-and-a-half monologue about why Lamar Jackson should have won NFL MVP while also leading on policy.

Meeting People Where They Are

At the time I was elected, I was the youngest woman and only Armenian American serving in my state's legislature—and I know that being there mattered—that representation mattered—a great deal to the girls and young women I met, and my ethnic community. But you know what else matters? Winning elections so we can actually do something about the issues we care about—and make life better for everyone.

The candidates I work with who win in tough districts—places like rural Alaska, Trump-won areas of Arizona, purple parts of Wisconsin—they're not winning because they've mastered the latest terminology. They're winning because they sound like their neighbors when they talk about wanting better schools, affordable healthcare, and a real shot at the American Dream—a dream that is out of reach for far too many people. People like North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson and Michigan state Senator Mallory McMorrow are known for their direct-to-camera policy videos that break down policy in short, digestible bites that someone who doesn’t live and breathe politics can easily watch for a minute and a half and feel caught up on what’s happening.

They're the ones who can have a genuine conversation about Ted Lasso or The Last Dance and also explain why investing in public transit matters for working families. They watch The Great British Bake Off and know how to talk about small business policy.

They have Fantasy Football leagues (or like me, obsess over my Fantasy Basketball draft each fall) and also understand the importance of taking action to protect the environment. 29.2 million Americans played fantasy football in 2022, part of an $11 billion fantasy sports industry. And before anyone dismisses this as just a "young men" problem—women make up 38% of fantasy football participants and 46% of the NFL's fan base. When that many people across all demographics are managing fantasy teams but we struggle to get them engaged in politics at all levels, maybe the problem isn't their priorities—it's our communication.

The Path Forward

Being normal isn't about dumbing anything down or abandoning our values. It's about communicating those values in language that doesn't require, at a minimum, a graduate degree to understand the language used. Hell, I have a graduate degree in global communication and I don't recognize or understand many of the phrases referenced in the Third Way memo.

It's about sounding like the people we're fighting for instead of a grad school textbook.

It's about realizing that a mom worried about childcare costs may not understand that you also are worried about the same thing when you say "family economic security infrastructure." She wants to know if you understand that she's choosing between groceries and gas, and what you're going to do about it.

The next generation of Democratic leaders gets this. They're on TikTok explaining complex policy issues while making pop culture references. They're writing Substacks that feel like texts from your smartest friend, like Jared Golden. They're showing up to town halls ready to talk about both the state budget AND get off their hot takes about And Just Like That.

That's what normal looks like in 2025. And that's how we win.

John McCarthy’s latest piece in TIME gets it exactly right: "If you want to lead the Democratic Party, start leading it now."

That's been our theory of change since day one. While others wait for the "right moment," we've been identifying and supporting the principled, pragmatic leaders doing the hard work in the toughest districts and the voices who can lead the Democratic Party out of the wilderness.

The Next 50’s numbers tell the story: 70% win rate, 2.98% average margin of victory. Alaska Representative Robyn Burke's win delivered coalition control of the Alaska House. North Carolina Representative Dante Pittman broke the Republican supermajority. Nevada Majority Leader Sandra Jauregui won re-election by just 257 votes while maintaining legislative leadership.

These aren't electoral victories—they're proof that authentic leadership wins when it's supported early and sustained over time.

The leaders we're endorsing for 2025-2026 aren’t just the ones thinking about presidential runs. They're also focused on delivering results: Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb reducing homicides by 36%. Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti earning an investment-grade credit rating. Detroit Council President Mary Sheffield running for mayor with a vision to ensure all residents benefit from the city's economic resurgence.

Four of our most recently endorsed candidates are also NewDEAL Leaders—proving that our partnership with NewDEAL creates the comprehensive support ecosystem that moves candidates from early wins to sustained leadership.

This is how you build a pipeline to higher office—not through early presidential speculation, but through proven leadership that demonstrates Democrats can govern effectively at every level.

“…one essential part of fixing [the Democratic Party brand crisis] is to elevate the next generation of leadership—not in 2027, not after the midterms, but right now. We will not win without it.”

— John McCarthy, “The 2028 Democratic Presidential Nominees Need to Start Leading Right Now,” TIME

The Democratic Party brand crisis John describes gets solved by elevating leaders who fight for kitchen-table issues with authentic voices and measurable results. That's exactly what The Next 50 has been doing.

The next 50 years of American politics will be shaped by the leaders we support today. While others debate 2028, we're building the infrastructure that will determine whether Democrats govern with majorities or remain in the wilderness.

The work starts now. The leadership pipeline building starts with us.

The Next 50 is building the Democratic leadership pipeline for the next five decades through strategic investment in principled, pragmatic candidates who will shape American governance from state capitals to Washington, D.C. Support leaders our work at thenext50.us/donate.

Lately, there’s been a lot of talk celebrating kitchen-table messaging in mayoral primaries–which is something that Democrats should indeed focus on. But I want to highlight that Mary’s win is about something even deeper: Mary Sheffield's overwhelming success demonstrates something more powerful—how authentic leaders translate a decade of policy results into electoral dominance when governing experience actually matters.

"This victory tonight is all of ours," Sheffield told supporters. "Tonight Detroit chose experience, Detroit chose integrity and Detroit chose people-centered leadership."

This was precisely why The Next 50 identified Sheffield for one of our 50 endorsements we will make this election cycle—her innovative engagement model demonstrates the genuine relationship-building that creates sustainable electoral coalitions while maintaining accountability to constituents. Unlike establishment politicians relying on consultant-driven strategies, Sheffield's authentic community connections translate directly to electoral success.

Sheffield embodies exactly why The Next 50 endorsed her. She represents the authentic leadership we champion—leaders who fight for kitchen-table issues because they've lived the economic struggles they address in their policy platforms. From breaking barriers as the youngest woman on City Council to creating transformative legislation demonstrates the sustained excellence that distinguishes proven winners capable of governing effectively on Day One.

Her legislative record showcases transformational policy work that addresses kitchen-table issues: landmark initiatives including Inclusionary Housing mandating affordable units in publicly funded developments, Property Tax Reform and the HOPE Property Tax Exemption, & Community Input Over Government Surveillance.

Sheffield's comprehensive mayoral platform centers on ensuring Detroit's continued resurgence benefits every neighborhood through her signature "Neighborhood Opportunity and Empowerment Hubs" that bring city departments directly to residents, reactivating commercial corridors with amenities and business opportunities, and launching a Community Anchor Plan using faith-based institutions to spur neighborhood development. Her first 100-day agenda includes establishing a Department of Human, Homeless and Family Services and launching a Home Repair Task Force—real steps toward addressing housing insecurity and economic mobility for working families.

Sheffield's overwhelming fundraising success—more than $1.17 million while significantly outpacing competitors—demonstrates the broad coalition-building capability essential for sustainable Democratic leadership. Her unprecedented endorsement coalition spans from national organizations beyond The Next 50 like EMILY's List and Higher Heights for America PAC to Labor support including the Teamsters, SEIU Michigan, Detroit Fire Fighters Local 344, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and the Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council. This expansive backing from workers, community leaders, and more than 60 faith leaders reflects authentic relationships that strengthen her governance capacity.

Sheffield's commanding primary victory demonstrates how early investment in principled leaders creates compound returns over multiple electoral cycles. As she advances to November as the clear favorite to succeed Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Sheffield represents the kind of proven winner who can deliver results in challenging environments while building sustainable Democratic power.

Sheffield's overwhelming margin proves that kitchen-table authenticity creates emotional connections that translate directly to electoral success, exactly the model The Next 50 champions for building Democratic majorities nationwide.

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The Next 50 is building the Democratic leadership pipeline for the next five decades through strategic investment in principled, pragmatic candidates who will shape American governance from local government to state capitals to Washington, D.C. Support leaders like Mary Sheffield at thenext50.us/donate.

Burke won House District 40 with 60.1% of the vote after ranked choice tabulation, defeating Democrat Saima "Ikrik" Chase (39.9%) and incumbent independent Rep. Thomas "Ikaaq" Baker. In her hometown of Utqiagvik, she secured 75% of the vote.

Most political organizations can't even find Alaska's North Slope on a map, let alone are willing to spend resources to help win it. But that's exactly why The Next 50 shows up–when we see an exceptional leader like Rep. Robyn Burke who can lead our party out of the wilderness (in her case, at times, quite literally), we show up and help.

A Call to Action: When Education Funding Failed

Rep. Burke, the former president of the North Slope Borough School District Board of Education, was inspired to run after watching the 2023 Legislature fail to override Governor Mike Dunleavy's veto of an education funding increase.

"That was my call to action," she told the Alaska Beacon. “I went down very much looking forward to being a part of a bipartisan coalition, working across lines.” Burke represents communities across the North Slope and Northwest Arctic regions, where education challenges hit hardest—areas facing the highest cost of living of all districts in Alaska.

Victory: Coalition Government That Delivers

Burke didn't just win Alaska's House District 40. She delivered coalition control of the entire Alaska House—a multipartisan coalition of Republicans, Democrats, and independents that froze extremist Republicans out of committee leadership statewide and centered pragmatic policy solutions over partisan, draconian governance.

The payoff came immediately. Burke was part of the historic veto override of Democrats and Republicans that raised per-student school aid—the same education funding increase that inspired her to run when it failed the year before.

"I went down very much looking forward to being a part of a bipartisan coalition, working across lines," Burke told the Alaska Beacon. "I was glad to be part of the veto override this year."

Delivering Real Results for Alaska

Burke co-chaired the House Resources Committee while serving on four other committees. On the very last day of the session, Burke had a bill pass both the House and Senate to expand funding for Mt. Edgecumbe High School, the state-run boarding school.

"This job is very relational," Burke reflected on her first session to the Alaska Beacon. "I get along with, I would say, almost all of my colleagues on the floor, and I'm really grateful for that."

Despite the veto override victory, Burke knows the fight continues. "Seven hundred dollars was a compromise," she told the Alaska Beacon of the per-student funding increase. "I know that's not enough for many districts who are facing challenges."

Historic Representation

Burke's victory creates historic representation as one of three Alaska Native women in the state House: Burke (Inupiaq), fellow TN50 alumna Rep. Maxine Dibert (Koyukon Athabascan), and Rep. Nellie "Unangik" Jimmie (Yup'ik, Ojibwa and Lakota).

"It's pretty historic," Burke told the Anchorage Daily News. "We have an amazing opportunity to uplift our communities and highlight the voices of our people."

After her victory, Burke thanked supporters on Facebook: "To everyone who supported me, QUYANAQPAK! Thank you for understanding the importance of our schools and the need for remote Native communities to have a seat at the table."

Rep. Robyn Burke represents exactly what The Next 50 looks for: principled, pragmatic leaders who can win in the toughest territories while building the infrastructure our party needs. We comb the highways and byways of our country to find the next generation who will lead our party out of the wilderness–like Rep. Robyn Burke–who are already fighting in places like Alaska's North Slope.

That's what The Next 50’s support for next generation leadership looks like. That's why Robyn "Niayuq" Burke's Germany-sized victory matters far beyond Alaska.

Next week: Another rising star breaking through in red territory.

The Next 50 is building the Democratic leadership pipeline for the next five decades through strategic investment in principled, pragmatic candidates who will shape American governance from state capitals to Washington, D.C. Support leaders like Robyn Burke at thenext50.us/donate.