A pack of presidential potentials and other top Democrats will meet in Denver next week

After a blue tsunami washed over the country, some of the nation’s most influential Democrats are meeting in Denver to figure out what’s next.

The What’s Next conference is meeting Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 12-14, at Mission Ballroom and other local venues, bringing some of the biggest names in Democratic politics. The conference organizers chose Denver because of Colorado’s political transformation in recent decades, they said.

“In twenty years it went from reliably red to purple to blue — not by accident, but by investing in people and institutions, building a coalition and then delivering,” the What’s Next website reads.

What to expect at the conference

The conference aims to explore winning campaign strategies and start defining a platform for 2028. Registration is closed, but there is a waitlist for would-be attendees.

The guest list includes numerous potential presidential candidates like Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Cory Booker, Sen. Raphael Warnock, Sen. Elissa Slotkin, Rep. Ro Khanna, Sen. Ruben Gallego, Gov. Abigail Spanberger and Gov. Mikie Sherrill, among others.

The lineup also includes analysts and influencers, from David Axelrod to Matt Yglesias and former attorney general Eric Holder.

The conference will feature events like discussions of successful campaigns and a panel on Gen-Z voters. One panel will feature mayors from Democratic cities discussing what “the national party should learn from them.”

For Mayor Mike Johnston, it’s another chance to promote Denver as a potential host for the 2028 Democratic National Convention. Denver is one of three finalists for the nominating convention.

“This week, our nation sent a message that it is not only sick of the status quo, but ready to believe that better days lie ahead. Nowhere does that message resonate louder than in Denver,” Johnston said in a written release, citing the city’s progress on crime and homelessness.

The conference wants to tackle the split in the Democratic Party

The conference is not an official Democratic Party event. It’s billed as an “independent, outsider conversation” presented by a group called Majority Democrats. That group is led by Rep. Jake Auchincloss and contrasts itself to the “gerontocratic establishment” and the “activist left.”

The conference aims to tackle the split within the party, according to its organizers.

“How can the disparate wings of the Democratic Party come together to win elections?” the event website reads.

Progressives and members of the Democratic Socialists of America won elections throughout the country. Colorado’s own delegation gained a popular DSA newcomer, Melat Kiros , who will replace longtime incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette.

“The same Democratic Party that can nominate John Hickenlooper and Melat Kiros is a healthy, diverse, and inclusive organization that’s ready to win and deliver results for working people,” state party chair Shad Murib said after the primary election.

It appears that will be one of the main questions heading into 2028, as socialism and progressive policies are growing in popularity among voters in Denver and nationally .