Democrats Launch Project 2029: Blueprint for Future Governance

In 2023 the Heritage Foundation’s MAGA coalition released “Mandate for Leadership,” known as Project 2025, supplying policies that many Trump officials, including budget director Russ Vought, turned into executive orders. Democrats responded by creating Project 2029 as a parallel governing playbook.

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In April 2023 the group released its first proposals, aiming to shape the Democratic primary and give voters a concrete vision of governance.

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The blueprint targets four areas: (1) Utility monopolies – 150 million households lack electricity choice; breaking the model could free “tens of billions of dollars” in savings. (2) Child care – costs consume roughly 10-20 % of take-home pay, creating a “Child Care Catch-22.” (3) Kids over clicks – proposes age-based guardrails on digital products amid a youth mental-health crisis and AI-chatbot risks. (4) “Annoyance economy” – corporate-designed hassles such as spam calls and surprise fees cost households “well over a hundred billion dollars a year.”

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Executive director Chad Maisel says Project 2029 seeks to answer “what we are for and what we would do” when Democrats next govern. Economist Justin Wolfers notes a “big library shelf full of good ideas” can make government “more effective.” Tara McGuinness argues a public policy debate during a campaign eases advancing ideas once in office.

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Some Democratic strategists warn that an “ideas primary” could distract from messaging and recall intra-party fights over immigration and policing in 2020. Others say the project’s name, echoing the Heritage Foundation, may deter candidates and question the feasibility of financing proposals without a clear congressional path; advisers also note no funding plan has been worked out.

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Project 2029 aims to shift the Democratic narrative from opposition to Trump toward a forward-looking agenda; if adopted, its proposals could shape primary debates, voter perception, and future policy direction.

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• “What people are not clear on is what we are for and what we would do if and when we have our next governing moment.” — Chad Maisel, Executive Director, Project 2029

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• “If there’s a really big library shelf full of a bunch of good ideas, and you just pluck the right one off the right shelf at the right moment, that can be really powerful—that can help government be more effective,” — Justin Wolfers, Economist, Project 2029 Advisory Board

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• “The next president needs ideas [and] needs a credible case that they’re on the side of most people in the country.” — Tara McGuinness, Policy Adviser, Project 2029

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• “We think we need to move towards big, bold ideas that are exciting to people.” — Chad Maisel, Executive Director, Project 2029

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Project 2029 will issue AI proposals in coming months, while the Democratic National Committee prepares the early primary calendar for the 2028 nominating cycle later this fall.

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