8 Takeaways From a Big Democratic Gathering in Denver: Democrats in Array

Democratic spirits were higher than the altitude in Denver, where more than 3,000 party strategists, activists, lawmakers and potential presidential candidates gathered last week to strategize how the party could capitalize on its dominant showing in the midterm elections.

Democrats flipped at least eight Senate seats while also securing what could be the largest House majority in a national election for either party in three decades.

“America is back,” Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the speaker-in-waiting, beamed at one welcome party.

For a party that is often fractious, there seemed little discord in Denver. Some of the loudest jeering over the three-day event came when the lights at the Ritz-Carlton hotel bar brightened and hundreds of drinking Democrats booed in unison at the thought of it closing.

Here are eight takeaways from the gathering.

Everyone (practically) is running for president.

More than a half-dozen potential Democratic presidential candidates descended on Denver to make early pitches for themselves and their visions. They were not technically campaigning — at least not yet. But they were all eager to share how much they had to give to the country.

At one point on Friday, Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania was speaking on the main stage while Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan was taking questions from reporters. Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona was nearby, too, waiting to speak to the media.