Introducing the Newest Majority Democrats

Nine Democratic Leaders Worth Knowing

Not long ago, a Democrat could run and win anywhere. As recently as 2010, Democrats held Senate seats in Alaska, Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and West Virginia. Today, that feels like an impossible reality. The Democratic Party of that era routinely, and successfully, made the case for why pragmatic, results-oriented government made life better for working Americans. Today, those muscles have atrophied. We need a renewal of our politics, our party, and our country, and we need to usher in a new generation of leaders who are able to deliver on that goal.

That’s why a group of us came together last year to start Majority Democrats. Too many Democratic-led cities and states have shown what can happen when governance loses its connection to results: homeless encampments replacing parks, skyrocketing housing and energy costs, and violent crime without punishment or penalty. Majority Democrats state and local leaders inherited versions of these problems, but offered a different way forward: addressing them with specific interventions and driving measurable and transparent results.

Today, we’re adding nine new Majority Democrats. These leaders come from across the country and from every walk of life. This is an introduction to who they are, and why they embody the vision of Majority Democrats.

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Mayor Justin Bibb — Cleveland, Ohio. At 37, Mayor Bibb has already emerged as an impressive communicator in the Democratic Party. After winning his first election against an establishment candidate, he has overseen a 36% reduction in homicides through his RISE initiative. Mayor Bibb’s success in making Cleveland safer, along with headline investments in economic development and revitalization, is the blueprint for Rust Belt Democratic renewal.

Senator Grant Hauschild — Minnesota’s 3rd Senate District. Senator Hauschild represents one of the largest and most rural districts in Minnesota. As a hunter and former federal rural development official, he understands what the Democratic Party needs to do to reach rural and indigenous communities. As a legislator, he has helped win tax relief and infrastructure investments for his district.

Mayor Eileen Higgins — Miami, Florida. In November 2025, Mayor Higgins became Miami’s first female mayor and the first Democrat to hold the office in nearly three decades. She did it by beating a candidate personally endorsed by Donald Trump by 18 points. Her path to victory ran right through Little Havana, the heavily Cuban neighborhood she’d spent years representing on the County Commission. Mayor Higgins has led on strengthening Miami’s small business ecosystem to help entrepreneurs get ahead and is a vital voice for Democratic restoration in Florida.

Attorney General Jeff Jackson — North Carolina. Before becoming North Carolina’s top law enforcement officer, Attorney General Jackson spent over two decades in uniform, served in the state legislature, and won a competitive congressional race. As Attorney General, he’s defended North Carolinians against the Trump Administration’s overreach,18 lawsuits against federal agencies while protecting over $1.5 billion in state taxpayer funds from being withheld. He also has 2.2 million TikTok followers, showing a rare combo of real world experience and savvy new media fluency.

Mayor Cavalier Johnson — Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mayor Johnson grew up in Milwaukee and experienced violence, evictions, and food insecurity — challenges common in urban poverty — during his youth. After serving on the City Council, he was elected the city’s first Black Mayor in 2021. He has prioritized economic development, violence reduction, and roadway safety during his time as Mayor, and his administration has implemented dozens of infrastructure projects in the city, leading to a measurable decline in traffic fatalities. He leads the way we want more Democrats to lead: define the problem clearly, invest in the fix, and measure whether it worked.

Mayor Matt Mahan — San Jose, California. After serving as a teacher and tech entrepreneur, Mayor Mahan ran on a common sense platform focused on homelessness, public safety, and government accountability. His approach to reducing street homelessness was unpopular in some circles, but has delivered tangible results: unsheltered homelessness is down by 33% and the shelter rate is up over 30%. He also eliminated automatic pay raises for elected officials and city department heads who couldn’t demonstrate measurable results. He is now running for Governor of California.

Mayor Lauren McLean — Boise, Idaho. Mayor McLean is the first female Mayor of Boise, Idaho, a city and state that are not natural Democratic territory. Her career started in community organizing, and she has brought the city’s chief concerns — transit, housing, open space, government accountability — with her into the Mayor’s office. As Mayor, she has expanded Boise’s transit network, adopted a 100% Clean Energy Plan, and stood up to the state’s restrictive abortion ban.

Mayor Zeb Smathers — Canton, North Carolina. In 2023, the paper mill that had anchored Canton’s economy for over a century closed. A year later, Hurricane Helene hit. Mayor Smathers, whose family has lived in Canton for eight generations, led the city through both crises, meeting with the President, lobbying Congress, and charting a new course for his small mountain town. He is the kind of leader that national politics rarely surfaces. He is deeply rooted in his community, can talk to Americans on either side of the aisle, and has built trust with Canton residents from every background.

Delegate Kayla Young — West Virginia’s 56th House District. West Virginia’s House of Delegates has 100 members. Nine are Democrats. Delegate Young is one of them, and in her first term she moved legislation on clean energy, childcare, and unemployment insurance that actually became law. She grew up in the district she now represents and was raised by a family of coal miners and teachers. She is an exceptionally skilled communicator in the new media age, knows what her community needs, and has found a way to deliver on those needs in a superminority.

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As Majority Democrats, we believe in the American promise of earned prosperity and genuine opportunity. We know that a government that serves people rather than special interests is worth fighting for.

These nine elected officials have shown what it takes to win back voters who have lost trust in Democrats over the last decade. We’re thrilled to help elevate their work, as they continue to deliver for the people in their communities.