House Democratic leaders used their annual issues conference to preview a message centered on costs, with the DCCC targeting 44 seats.
House Democrats opened their 2026 issues conference on Feb. 25 with a unified pitch to voters: The party that lowers costs wins in November.
The yearly conference, held this year in Leesburg, Virginia, under the theme “Fighting for an Affordable America,” came the day after President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger focused on affordability in giving the party’s official response to the president’s address on Tuesday evening.
At the issues conference, House Democratic leaders used Spanberger’s speech as a backdrop to draw a contrast on kitchen-table economics heading into the midterm elections.
“Democrats are laser-focused on lowering costs and improving the lives of hard-working American families,” Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar of California said in opening remarks. “While Republicans have used their majority to give billionaires tax breaks, our caucus is working tirelessly to bring solutions to drive down costs.”
Aguilar challenged the economic achievements Trump highlighted in his State of the Union address, pointing to two recent inflation reports.
Aguilar noted that the monthly core Consumer Price Index (CPI) accelerated from December to January. However, the annual inflation rate fell to 2.4 percent in January, its lowest level since May, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Aguilar also cited the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, which rose above expectations to 3 percent in its most recent reading.
“The American people can either believe what Donald Trump says, or they can believe their monthly bills,” Aguilar said. “They cannot do both.”
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) described the conference as the start of a final push toward November, calling the president’s State of the Union “a disgraceful performance.”
“It’s gonna be a sprint to November 3rd,” Jeffries said.
Jeffries pointed to what he described as a strong Democratic track record in elections held since Trump took office in January 2025, a period in which the party says it has won or overperformed in the vast majority of contests.
“I know people are struggling to find a reason to pierce the fact that the American people have clearly decided it’s time to throw the MAGA extremists overboard and elect Democrats,” Jeffries said.
Democratic Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts outlined a five-point policy agenda the party plans to run on. She listed capping childcare costs at $15 a day, making pandemic-era health care premium tax credits permanent, expanding affordable housing construction, reducing utility costs by requiring large corporate users to pay a greater share, and expanding union access to boost wages.
“Republicans have chosen to break their promises to regular families,” Clark said.
“Democrats are offering a different choice.”
Clark credited Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) Chair Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.) with building a “big blue wave” ahead of the midterms.
DelBene noted that the DCCC recently expanded its competitive map to 44 districts. The committee also rolled out its first round of 12 “Red to Blue” candidates—top-tier recruits in the most competitive races. Democrats need a net gain of three seats to win the majority.
“We have the candidates, the message, and the public support to win back the majority,” DelBene said.
Leaders also previewed what a Democratic-controlled House would prioritize on the oversight front.
Aguilar called the Trump administration “a target rich environment” for congressional investigation but said Democrats would pursue both oversight and a proactive affordability agenda.
“We have to do all of the things,” Aguilar said. “We have to do oversight and accountability, and we have to talk about the affordability agenda and how we’re going to make life better for people if we’re given the opportunity to lead.”
By Chase Smith
