Building Future Focused Policy in 2025
In the immediate aftermath of the 2024 election, the NewDEAL convened center-left state and local elected leaders, political thinkers, industry experts, policy specialists, and more to reflect on lessons learned as well as recommit to serving the American people. They dissected election results, identified successful strategies, and shared innovative policy ideas in preparation for the coming year.
These conversations centered on the need to craft future-oriented policy and political strategies that turn the lessons learned in 2024 into action for crafting a governing agenda that both speaks to the needs of where people are today and delivers results for everyday Americans. Three key themes emerged for Democrats to focus on in the year ahead:
- 2025 policy priorities;
- Democracy; and
- The Democratic brand
In addressing these topics, state and local leaders can move the country and the Democratic party forward into a new era, marked by a commitment to commonsense legislation, pragmatic priorities, and messaging that resonates with the broad majority of Americans. Here are the top items to keep in mind in each of these areas in 2025:
2025 Policy Priorities
Artificial Intelligence
There is tremendous potential to harness the power of emerging AI technology to improve government services, even as there are legitimate concerns about the potential threats AI poses to privacy and disrupting our democracy. As individuals, organizations, companies, and governments exponentially expand their use of AI tools, here are some considerations to keep in mind in 2025:
- Borrow Promising Uses. Local, state, and federal governments are already using AI to streamline processes and make life easier for Americans across the country. As Albany, NY, Chief City Auditor Dorcey Applyrs shared, city officials in Albany have outfitted garbage trucks with AI technology to detect potholes, which the city can then fix before residents have the chance to complain. Elected officials should look to one another to borrow and implement good ideas in the AI space that have been proven to transform communities.
- Address Potential Barriers. Despite exciting developments in the application of AI, there are current limitations to its wider use. At the NewDEAL’s annual conference, outgoing Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Arati Prabhakar cited privacy as a main concern, urging innovative lawmakers to take steps that ensure that consumer data is strictly protected when using AI tools in government. Additionally, she advocated for state and local governments to put more money into modernizing their offices to build the critical infrastructure in order to utilize more advanced AI tools.
- States Will Continue to Lead. AI policy in 2024 was marked by leadership at the state level, with places like New York regulating the use of AI in campaign-related materials, the state of California outlawing the use of AI-generated revenge porn, and Colorado setting the standard for consumer protections when using AI. States will continue to lead on AI regulation and adoption in 2025, as the pace of policymaking moves more quickly at that level than it does in Washington.
Economy
In 2024, economic issues were the top priority for voters, and voters — by a wide margin — trusted Republicans over Democrats on these topics. Regardless of political affiliations, policymakers across the board must make economic issues their top priority in 2025. In doing so, it will be important to consider these key factors:
- Housing. There is growing agreement between Democrats and Republicans, between builders and potential homeowners, that housing must be at the center of any economic agenda. As Jonathon Dworkin, Executive Director of The NewDEAL’s sister organization, The NewDEAL Forum, told Governing, “Housing, housing, housing is on people’s minds… it’s an issue everywhere.”
- Workforce Development. Expanding resources for workforce development — from apprenticeships and skills training to GED programs and more — can create pipelines into stable, well-paying jobs and help industries by creating a pool of skilled workers. To further such efforts, St. Louis, MO, Mayor Tishaura Jones centralized development opportunities into one building located in an underserved neighborhood to help community members easily access resources.
- Equitable Opportunities. As policymakers craft legislation to create more economic opportunities for Americans, it’s crucial to offer equitable access to these options. Empowering local economies has the power to both build wealth from the ground up and ensure that community members across demographics can reap the benefits of workforce development programs, housing initiatives, and more.
Other economic issues that will require forward-thinking legislation in 2025 include improving access to high quality and affordable internet, trustworthy childcare, and holistic healthcare — including mental and behavioral healthcare — that doesn’t break the bank.
Housing
Since housing was such a central concern for voters in 2024, elected leaders must act quickly, prioritizing innovative, long term solutions that increase housing supply while lowering costs. At the NewDEAL’s annual conference, state and local leaders and housing advocates offered three tools for meeting this need in 2025:
- Zoning. Zoning codes and reforms are the most powerful tools when it comes to building new housing and renovating existing structures. As Sarah Bronin of the National Zoning Atlas said, smart zoning doesn’t just aid new construction, but it also builds thriving neighborhoods, from grocery stores to parks to schools.
- Innovation & Messaging. Combatting the national housing crisis will require innovative ideas to get more people housed. Salt Lake City, UT, Mayor Erin Mendenhall successfully implemented accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in her community and gained public support for this initiative by branding them as a way to support older neighbors living alone. In doing so, Salt Lakers saw not only the benefits of building more housing but also of creating tight- knit neighborhoods.
- Abundance. The housing abundance movement is gaining ground in communities across the country and will continue to do so throughout 2025. This approach encourages elected officials and communities to reduce the red tape and regulations that lead to higher production costs, resulting in more expensive housing.
Democracy
In 2024, discourse and policymaking around democracy focused primarily on the past of President-elect Trump and his unwillingness to accept the results of the 2020 election. While strengthening elections remains a priority in 2025 and beyond, policymakers must also turn their attention to civic engagement and other facets of improving a democracy that many Americans feel is broken.
- Ongoing Election Security. Though he believes that the 2024 election was incredibly successful from an administrative standpoint, Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes spoke candidly about what he believes is the most significant threat to American democracy: interference in elections by foreign adversaries. In 2025, policymakers should look to address this heightened concern, turning attention to nefarious outside entities rather than creating domestic enemies.
- Year Round Engagement. Get Out The Vote (GOTV) efforts are a hallmark of election years, but elected officials and experts alike encourage policymakers and organizers to move beyond voter engagement just every four (or two) years. With state and local elections happening every year, similar pushes to encourage voting and voter engagement should be made every year.
- Beyond the Ballot Box. In the wake of the 2024 election, experts are urging elected leaders to focus on civic engagement efforts that unite Americans, through supporting local organizations like Scout troops, faith groups, PTAs, and more in an effort to connect with wider communities. “Civic engagement has to be so much more than just voting and so much more than just politics,” Secretary Fontes said at the NewDEAL’s annual convening.
The Democratic Brand
Beyond sharing innovative policy solutions for the year ahead, attendees and speakers at the annual conference also analyzed and identified methods for Democrats to better engage voters in 2025. In order to regain public support for the party and build a new era of Democratic leadership, party leaders and representatives should consider these suggestions:
- Listen. In the wake of the 2024 election, NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan encouraged the Democratic Party to do, “more listening than talking.” Democrats who were successful in 2024 — including those who outperformed the Harris-Walz ticket — credited their wins to listening to voters from diverse backgrounds and, in particular, in red areas.
- Simplify. It’s crucial for Democrats to rally around simple messages that describe what exactly the party stands for without belaboring what it stands against. The party needs to share those simple messages everywhere, especially online on podcasts and in short videos.
- Bread and butter issues. In the 2024 election, the Democrats who performed the best in state, local, and national races were candidates that focused on the bread-and-butter issues that voters cared the most about. In setting policy agendas in the months to come, Democrats must focus and deliver on topics like: lowering costs, increasing wages, creating new, good-paying jobs, and improving and investing in public safety
- A Party for the People. Above all, Democrats need to emphasize that the party is both representative of America in a demographic sense and one that is also focused on serving the needs of everyday Americans. “We have to really keep our party like the America we envision,” said Georgia Representative Tanya Miller. “One that is diverse; has broad capacity and tolerance; and one that keeps its heart close to what’s best for the people.”
For more great insights on how to govern in 2025, watch the recordings of the plenary sessions from the 14th Annual Leaders Conference.