Democrats try out a strange new emotion at post-midterms What’s Next conference: hope

Democrats gathered in Denver to discuss their next steps after an election they described as a major success, with wins across several contested races and new opportunities in Congress. The results prompted unusual optimism among attendees, who said they could begin to imagine a political era beyond Donald Trump.

At the two-day What’s Next conference, some speakers floated ambitions such as winning 60 Senate seats, while Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro urged the party to target 370 electoral votes in the next presidential race. Others cautioned that voters may have backed Democrats out of frustration with high prices, the Iran war and concerns about corruption, and that the party still lacked a clear plan on affordability and the economy. Left-wing protesters also challenged the conference’s centrist backing and called for a Green New Deal.