Centrist Democrats Unveil Affordability Plan

Centrist Democrats are ramping up their efforts to emphasize affordability ahead of the midterms, with a nonprofit affiliated with the influential New Democratic Coalition set to host its inaugural policy conference later this month.

The Effective Governing Coalition (EGC) is hosting the May 12 forum, titled "Delivering an Effective Economy: A Solutions Conference," at Washington's Planet Word Museum. The event will include new polling on cost-of-living concerns and focus on how Democratic leaders can boost affordability.

The EGC was launched in 2024 as an offshoot of the centrist New Democratic Coalition and prioritizes economic growth, environmental sustainability, health care access, and national defense. The group's efforts come as the center and left wings of the party have started laying out visions for an affordability agenda.

Affordability Agenda

The New Democrats, the House's largest Democratic Caucus, released a 16-page "Affordability Agenda" earlier this year, detailing specific policy proposals targeting grocery, health care, housing, energy, and family-related costs. The Congressional Progressive Caucus unveiled a 10-point legislative plan to lower costs earlier this week.

Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), who has not ruled out a run for president, will speak at a fireside chat. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), the New Dems chair, as well as Reps. Nikki Budzinski (D-Ill.), Salud Carbajal (D-Cali.), Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-Mich.), Marilyn Strickland (D-Wash.), and Greg Stanton (D-Ari.) will also attend.

The forum is not the EGC's first foray into messaging around lowering costs. The group, founded by longtime Democratic operatives Mike Goodman and Kyle Layman, boosted swing-district members of the New Democrat Coalition in a summer ad buy blasting Republicans' Medicaid-cutting megabill.

Other speakers include Fox News commentator Jessica Tarlov, political reporters Leigh Ann Caldwell and Molly Ball, Impact Research's Molly Murphy, SKDK's Doug Thornell, and Third Way's Lanae Erickson.

The EGC recently hired Andrew Wright, former Rep. Derek Kilmer's (D-Wash.) chief of staff, as its first executive director, signaling the group's efforts to buckle down ahead of November's election.