Despite all the think pieces and hot takes, there is still no consensus about what drove the 2024 election results or where we go from here.

To tackle this problem, we’re hosting the Arena Power Building Retreat: Learning from the Cycle and Laying the Foundation for Victory.

Who’s Joining and What We’ll Do Together

This weekend, some of the brightest minds from the 2024 campaign trail are coming together for a one-of-a-kind strategy retreat. These talented operatives powered red-to-blue congressional races, organized young voters in battleground states, built power in rural areas, led on issues like abortion and disability access, and helped Senate races outperform expectations. They worked in every department—from digital and data to organizing and finance—and in every part of the campaign ecosystem–from local races to presidential campaigns, from independent expenditures and advocacy organizations to state parties.

Over three days, we’ll dive deep into what worked, what didn’t, and why. Through guided discussions and cross-functional collaboration, we’ll uncover shared challenges, spot national trends, and generate bold ideas to strengthen our movement. This isn’t just a debrief—it’s an investment in the future of Democratic campaigns.

Why They’re Joining Us

Participants are joining us to reflect deeply, learn from one another, and chart a better course for the future. But don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what they have to say…

I’m excited to get to be in a space where we can actually talk about how to improve with people who are both willing to be honest and will be in positions in the future to execute on them.

I believe that without honest assessments of past programs, we miss critical opportunities to adapt, innovate, and build more competitive strategies for the future. This retreat presents a unique chance to learn from others, share insights, and collectively shape stronger, more effective approaches to winning elections and building power.

I want to make sure the disability community is represented and that our priorities are the priorities of the broader movement. The most pressing issue right now is the sustainability of our movements and not burning out our people.

I want to learn as much as I can from as many people as I can. And as someone who worked in a battleground state on a campaign that outperformed the top of the ticket by 20k votes, I have a unique perspective on what works in places that went heavily for Trump, and swung away from the Republican party down ticket.

I have always drawn strength from my Arena family, and in a time of widespread disillusionment I think it’s vital to counsel one another, to chart a course ahead and to recommit to building and sustaining a progressive movement.

Our party is at an inflection point and what lessons we learn from 2024 will determine the future of the progressive movement and our country. Foremost for me is how we authentically communicate to a wider coalition of voters. That means interrogating not only our messaging and messengers (candidate recruitment will be key this cycle and beyond), but perhaps most importantly how we’re reaching voters given the diminishing reach of traditional paid advertising and legacy media outlets, and the right’s increasing dominance of the online media ecosystem.

After the retreat

The conversations won’t end when the weekend does. We’ll take what we’ve learned and turn it into actionable recommendations. We’ll synthesize the big takeaways and proposed solutions and share them with partners and decision-makers across the ecosystem, because our goal is to set us up for stronger, more effective campaigns in 2026 and beyond.