Debbie Cox Bultan and Jonathon Dworkin: Democrats’ Deep Bench
By Debbie Cox Bultan and Jonathon Dworkin
Democrats are riding high after an energizing convention where Kamala Harris and Tim Walz shared a pragmatic, inspiring, and joyful vision to advance the values of freedom and security at home and abroad. While victory in November is, by no means, assured, our party is making the case to voters that Democrats will continue to deliver for the American people.
One of the storylines that may not have gotten as much attention as it deserves in the excitement about the top of the ticket is that Democrats have a deep bench of incredible talent – perhaps the deepest in years. These are leaders at the national, state, and local levels who get results. You may not know their names yet but they are poised and prepared to lead our country long after the returns for this November’s election are counted.
The Governors
The governors, of course, are the most well-known. This includes the youngest Democratic governor in the country, Wes Moore of Maryland; Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania; Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan; Andy Beshear of Kentucky; Gavin Newsom of California; Roy Cooper of North Carolina; Jared Polis of Colorado; and Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico. These leaders are stars in their own right, and we have seen them deliver results on infrastructure, job creation, sustainability, and innovative responses to major challenges. We continue to expect big things from them – in their states, as cabinet officials, and quite possibly as future presidential candidates.
Meanwhile, Pete Buttigieg is not a governor, but his experience, eloquence, and willingness to go into the lion’s den and take on Republicans means that he has a bright future in our party and for our nation.
Now, for the rising stars who are not yet household names but who were among those who shined in Chicago.
The Secretaries of State
In the face of unprecedented challenges to election integrity, Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes has established himself as a defender of democracy — implementing innovative security measures against AI-generated threats, ballot tracking technology, and transparency initiatives that have strengthened the state’s election system.
New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver has implemented same-day voter registration for the first time in state history, championed groundbreaking legislation to expand free and fair elections, and most recently launched an artificial intelligence and election security education effort to help increase voter confidence.
A recipient of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is a national leader in voting rights access. During her tenure, Benson has worked to expand voter registration efforts, introduced ballot tracking tools, and launched an Election Security Commission to help spur voter turnout in the state.
The State Legislators
In Florida, Senate Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell’s leadership has been instrumental in passing bipartisan police reform legislation, increasing transparency in law enforcement, and securing critical funding for mental health services.
Michigan Senate Majority Whip Mallory McMorrow has championed the values of freedom and opportunity with tangible results, like her legislation that will codify abortion access, improve Michiganders’ access to clean water, and significantly decrease the threat of gun violence.
The Mayors
When Milwaukee County was awarded over $1 billion in federal relief funds, Mayor Cavalier Johnson leveraged this historic investment to implement citywide initiatives that address racial inequities, promote economic development in historically underserved neighborhoods, and significantly reduce violent crime.
St Louis Mayor Tishuara Jones’ commitment to economic opportunity and affordable housing has led to citywide down payment assistance programs for first-time homebuyers, alongside new loan initiatives tailored for small businesses, nonprofits, and minority- and women-owned contractors.
Since taking office, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb has worked to implement a $15 million revitalization project on Cleveland’s southeast side, launched the RISE initiative to promote public safety, and created a 10-year plan to modernize citywide operations.
These men and women are just the tip of the iceberg – there are many more across the nation who are working tirelessly to improve the lives of the people in their communities. At NewDEAL, it is our mission to identify, convene, and prepare rising leaders to serve their constituents in their current roles and support them as they work their way up the leadership ladder. And I have never been more energized by the number of talented Democrats who have embraced the challenges of making government work better for everyone.
In the coming months and years, Americans will have a front-row seat to watch them transform the Democratic Party from the ground up. They are the architects of our party’s future, the champions of our shared values, and the key to securing lasting progress for decades to come. Their presence at the convention, and the work they do each day to help government be more effective, responsive, and representative, is a powerful reminder that the future of our party – and the country – is in very capable hands.
Debbie Cox Bultan is the CEO of NewDEAL, a selective center-left network of Democratic state and local elected officials, which has just released its Fall Leadership Class of 2024. Jonathon Dworkin is the Vice President of Policy and Communications for NewDEAL.
