Riding a wave of momentum from recent off-year election wins, state and local Democrats gathered Thursday in Washington, D.C., to discuss where the party should go, even if it isn’t backed by the national brand.

An up-and-comer in the party, Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego said Democratic candidates need to show their authenticity to voters.

Gallego, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2015-2025, now serves Arizona in Congress’ upper chamber. He was one of the few bright spots for the Democrats in 2024, winning a highly contested Senate seat in a swing state.

He had advice for Democrats planning to run in the 2026 midterm elections, to visit as many voters as they could.

“Arizona is a big state … there’s a reason it’s called the Grand Canyon, because it is really grand, but i

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