August 12, 2025

New Dems On the Road Media Roundup

“The American people are tired of partisan games – they’re looking for serious leaders who represent their interests in Washington. That’s why New Dems have been touring the country, hearing directly from the American people to inform a policy agenda that will lower costs, make our communities healthier and safer, and protect our national security. In just the first three months of this initiative, New Dems have met with constituents, businesses, local leaders, and more on everything from immigration in Arizona and wildfires in California to clean energy in North Carolina and broadband in Maryland. This is just the beginning.”

- Vice Chair for Policy Nikki Budzinksi (IL-13)

Check out some of the coverage from the first eight stops on the tour, and keep an eye out for more stops coming soon: 
 
National Outlets

  • NOTUS: Centrist Democrats Are Hitting the Road. Their First Stop: Arizona LINK

The topic of the New Democrat Coalition’s first roundtable is immigration.

  • Op-ed in the Hill by Vice Chair for Policy Nikki Budzinski: “Democrats are looking for answers — outside Washington” LINK

“New Dems recognize that this moment calls for a meaningful response and an agenda that inspires — not the status quo.”

 

Local Outlets

  • KTAR News: ‘New Dems on the Road’ host inaugural event in Phoenix focused on immigration LINK 

The “New Dems on the Road” held their inaugural event this week, a roundtable focused on immigration policy and border security in Phoenix.

  • WDEL.com: Congresswoman McBride hosts roundtable highlighting importance, diversity of "care" economy LINK

"Care" can throw a household budget into turmoil... child care services costing more than a mortgage payment... struggles to get paid leave from work... and caring for the growing aging population. These and other issues were discussed at a Care Economy roundtable in Wilmington hosted by Congresswoman Sarah McBride.

  • FREDERICK NEWS POST: Members of Congress visit installation sites to learn more about rural fiber access LINK

[Rep. April McClain Delaney] visited cyber installation sites along Fountain School Road near Libertytown on Monday with U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski, an Illinois Democrat. Both are part of the New Democrat Coalition, a center-left group that says it wants economic growth, strong communities and robust national defense.

  • INDY WEEK: Budget Bill Hits NC’s Renewable Energy Industry LINK

At a roundtable hosted by Representative Deborah Ross, representatives from NC solar and renewable energy companies said Trump’s spending plan will force layoffs and set back the industry locally. 

  • Pressbee: Congressman Carbajal hosts Congresswoman Angie Craig for a Wildfire roundtable Saturday LINK

Saturday Congressman Salud Carbajal hosted Minnesota Congresswoman  Angie Craig for a wildfire roundtable discussion. During the roundtable, community leaders were able to share directly to Craig who is the top democrat on the House Agriculture Committee about what challenges they face and share how they all work together.

  • Capital B Gary: Congressional Visit to Gary Spotlights Urgent Need for Workforce Training in Northwest Indiana LINK

U.S. Reps. Frank Mrvan, Gary’s representative in the U.S. House, and Nikki Budzinski, D-Illinois, hosted a workforce development roundtable Wednesday in Gary focused on expanding federal investment in job training and education. 

 
TV Hits

Reps. Nikki Budzinski (IL-13), Wesley Bell (MO-01), and Scott Peters (CA-50) were featured on CBS 4 in St. Louis following the clean energy roundtable, where participants discussed how the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans’ actions will raise energy prices.

ABC 11 previewed the roundtable hosted by Rep. Deborah Ross (NC-02) in Garner, North Carolina, where New Dems met with local leaders and utility providers about the impact of the Big Ugly Bill on energy prices.

Reps. Salud Carbajal (CA-24) and Angie Craig (MN-02) were featured on KEYT News after holding a wildfire preparedness and prevention roundtable in Santa Barbara, CA with local experts and first responders.

Reps. Frank Mrvan (IN-01) and Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) were featured on WNDU16 News Now after holding a roundtable discussion in Gary, Indiana with local labor representatives about improving apprenticeship and labor pipelines to strengthen the workforce.

 

New Dems Social Media

 

Tour Stop Summaries

The eighth and most recent New Dems On the Road event was held on August 4th in Brea, CA, where New Dem Rep. Derek Tran (CA-45) hosted New Dem National Security Working Group Chair Gil Cisneros (CA-31) in his district to tour a facility that manufactures technologies used in the production of domestic nuclear energy, which is essential to our national security. During the tour, Reps. Tran and Cisneros met with manufacturers to discuss how these technologies are essential to lowering the cost of American energy production, decreasing energy prices for consumers, and securing energy independence.

The seventh New Dems On the Road event was held on July 30th in Gary, IN where New Dem Workforce and Education Working Group Chair Frank Mrvan (IN-01) hosted Vice Chair for Policy Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) for a roundtable discussion with representatives of organized labor, higher education institutions, and local nonprofits at the roundtable to discuss the federal government’s role in strengthening the workforce through education and training initiatives.

The sixth event was held on July 19th in Santa Barbara, CA where New Dem Vice Chair for Outreach Salud Carbajal (CA-24) hosted Top House Agriculture Committee Democrat and New Dem Angie Craig (MN-02) in Santa Barbara, CA for a roundtable discussion on wildfire preparedness and prevention with local government officials, first responders, wildfire experts, and nonprofit groups.

The fifth event was held on July 11th in Garner, NC, where New Dem Clean Energy Deployment Task Force Chair Deborah Ross (NC-02) hosted New Dem Member Nikema Williams (GA-05) and Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy for a roundtable discussion about the impacts of Congressional Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill on the clean energy economy.

The fourth event was held on June 23rd in Frederick County, MD, where New Dem Rural Broadband Task Force Chair April McClain Delaney (MD-06) hosted Vice Chair for Policy Nikki Budinski (IL-13) in Frederick County, Maryland to tour a local broadband construction site and hold a roundtable discussion on rural broadband.

The third event was held on May 22nd in Wilmington, DE, where New Dem Care Economy Task Force Chair Sarah McBride (DE-AL) hosted House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-05) and Economic Growth & Cost of Living Working Group Chair Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) in her district for a care economy roundtable discussion with medical professionals, advocates, non-profit leaders, labor representatives, and care providers.

The second event was held on May 9th in Metro East, IL, where Vice Chair Nikki Budzinski hosted Environment, Climate, & Clean Energy Working Group Chair Scott Peters (CA-50) and Rep. Wesley Bell (MO-01) for a clean energy roundtable discussion with business owners, industry and union representatives, academic researchers, and utility service providers.

The first event was held on April 23rd in Phoenix, AZ, where New Dem Immigration and Border Security Working Group Members Reps. Greg Stanton (AZ-04) and Lou Correa (CA-46) held an immigration roundtable discussion with industry and union representatives, members of the Arizona business community, and DACA recipients.

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