Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland and Rep. Ro Khanna of California plan to attend a Denver summit on the Democratic Party’s direction after the midterms, CBS News reported.
The three lawmakers appear on an updated attendee list shared with CBS. The outlet described them as possible contenders for the party’s 2028 presidential nomination. Booker sought the nomination in 2020, while Khanna and Van Hollen have discussed possible 2028 bids, CBS reported.
An invitation to the “What’s Next” summit sets the event for Nov. 12-14 in Denver. Organizers plan debates on competing visions for the party and sessions examining the midterm results. The program also calls for keynote speakers and discussions with political and cultural figures.
CBS reported that former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Sens. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, Ruben Gallego of Arizona and Chris Murphy of Connecticut are also expected to attend. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger and New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill plan to attend as well, the outlet said.
Majority Democrats, the group hosting the summit, says it wants to expand the party’s reach and sustain Democratic majorities. The group is chaired by Massachusetts Rep. Jake Auchincloss. Majority Democrats spokesperson Matt Corridoni said the meeting would bring Democrats from different factions together to discuss how to compete in 2028.
The gathering comes amid disagreement over the party’s direction following its 2024 White House loss, CBS reported. The outlet described a divide between moderate and progressive Democrats. Organizers chose Denver partly because the city is under consideration to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention, according to CBS.
Voters go to the polls in the Nov. 3 midterms. The summit is scheduled to begin Nov. 12.
