Overview

• At WelcomeFest in Washington, D.C., centrist lawmakers and strategists blamed progressive “Groups” for contributing to the Democratic Party’s 2024 election losses.
• Speakers such as Rep. Ritchie Torres and Welcome PAC’s Lauren Harper Pope argued that voters have grown weary of left-wing agendas and urged a shift toward more electable candidates and messages.
• Panelists introduced a “Wins Above Replacement” metric to rank candidates by their performance relative to generic Democratic expectations in key districts.
• Activists from Climate Defiance disrupted sessions with signs condemning support for Israel and accusing lawmakers like Rep. Torres of endorsing genocide.
• The conference highlighted a deepening identity crisis as centrists push for pragmatic messaging and face resistance from progressive activists.