It’s been reported that both the Democratic and Republican parties are considering holding a “midterm conference” (or “convention”) in 2026. The Republicans have never done this before, but Democrats held midterm party conferences in 1974, 1978, and 1982. These conferences are not directly related to the Presidential nominating process, although they can showcase potential candidates. Were they worth the time, energy, and expense?
The 1972 Democratic Convention called for a midterm conference to adopt a national party charter and address policy issues. The Charter’s Article 6, Party Conference, simply provides that: “The Democratic Party may hold a National Party Conference between National Conventions. The nature, agenda, composition, time and place of the Party Conference shall be determined by the Democratic National Committee.” The 1974 conference rejected an amendment calling for mandatory biennial conferences, but the 1974 charter originally required the DNC to vote every cycle on whether to have a conference. Under the Charter’s terms, the DNC has great flexibility in planning for such a conference.
The first “Conference on Democratic Party Organization and Policy” was held in Kansas City on December 6-8, 1974. Over 2,000 delegates were selected through formal procedures similar to those for national conventions: caucus systems, state conventions, state committees, and primaries. It successfully completed its main business – adoption of the Democratic National Committee’s first Charter – a guiding document to replace ad hoc rules. (It was the first such national party document; Republicans still lack a charter.) The conference generally accepted the draft prepared by a commission headed by former NC Governor Terry Sanford, although there was debate, especially over the details of affirmative action provisions.
Reformers argued that the conference also should address policy, debating and adopting issue positions, but DNC Chair Robert Strauss kept it under tight control. It adopted a Statement on Economic Policy presented by Democratic Congressional leadership and featured issue task force reports from the DNC-appointed Democratic Advisory Council of Elected Officials, but did not debate other issues.
In 1978, Democratic President Jimmy Carter planned to have a midterm conference to serve as a gigantic pep rally. To that end, DNC Chair John White of Texas tightly controlled the conference’s delegate and procedures. State parties selected the1600 delegates. The agenda for the conference held in Memphis from December 8-10 included speeches, workshops, and resolutions. President Carter’s speech was cooly received, but the conference is best known for Senator Edward Kennedy’s “sail against the wind” speech and its enthusiastic reception, embarrassing the administration.
I attended the 1982 National Party Conference in Philadelphia on June 25-27. It was essentially an expanded DNC meeting, with 900 delegates including delegates selected by state parties and elected officials selected by the DNC Chair Chuck Manatt. There were issue workshops and adoption of broadly worded policy statements (re the “Nuclear Freeze” in particular). The conference focused on attacking the Reagan administration’s handling of the economy to help elect Democrats in the upcoming 1982 congressional elections. But the primary focus was on the appearance of prospective 1984 presidential candidates seeking support (and hosting receptions; many receptions).
The argument can be made that a midterm conference in 2026 will be expensive, distracting, divisive, and unnecessary. Or it can be viewed as a unifying, party-building opportunity to generate much needed good publicity. The substance of the gathering can range from speeches, workshops, and general policy to something that looks like a platform. It likely will include DNC members and elected officials and not be a mass gathering, more like the 1982 conference than a national convention.
The DNC could hold the midterm conference before or after the midterm elections. The 1974 conference was originally planned for the summer to develop a policy basis for all Democratic campaigns. Whether or not that was a good idea, it was eclipsed by Watergate, which provided a sufficient basis for a Democratic landslide. A post-midterm election conference will undoubtedly focus on the 2028 presidential candidates (although candidates would get attention at a pre-election conference as well). Yet another option would be regional mini-conferences. Let your DNC members know what you think.
Sources: William Crotty, Party Reform, Longman: 1983; DNC, The Official Proceedings of the 1974 Conference on Democratic Organization and Policy; Jeffrey L. Pressman, Denis G. Sullivan, F. Christopher Arterton, “Cleavages, Decisions, and Legitimation: The Democrats’ Mid-Term Conference, 1974,” Political Science Quarterly, Vol. 91, No. 1 (Spring, 1976), pp. 89-107; R.W. Apple, Jr., “Democrats Adopt Charter, Walkout Avoided,” New York Times, Dec. 8, 1974; David S. Broder and Bill Peterson, “Key Democrats to Shun Midterm Parley,” Washington Post, Dec. 3, 1978; David S. Broder, “Democrats, in Turnabout, Shrink Size of ’82 Mid-Term Convention,” Washington Post, June 6, 1981.