A group of 15 Democratic mayors governing in Republican-dominated states are building a new political operation that aims to influence national politics as a center-left alternative to both the MAGA movement and what they describe as “far-left dysfunction” from groups like the Democratic Socialists of America.
The organization — Blue Cities/Red States — is led by Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and will launch next week in Miami with a kickoff event hosted by its mayor, Eileen Higgins. The founding mayors lead cities including Atlanta, Jacksonville, Boise, Tulsa and Memphis — governing more than 7 million Americans across 11 red and purple states, according to a memo for the new coalition.
In an interview with ABC News, Bibb said he hopes these mayors will emerge as a kind of testing ground for a post-2024 Democratic message. He suggested that the party can rebuild trust among voters by zeroing in on things such as public safety, affordability, economic growth — things that these mayors often govern on, up against Republicans at times, Bibb said.
“As Democrats talk about closing the credibility gap, these 15 mayors have been closing that gap in their cities — without the cover of a Democratic governor or a Democratic-led legislature,” Bibb said.
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Higgins, who was elected as Miami’s mayor in December as the first Democrat to serve in 28 years, also emphasized the group’s focus on working against the political extremes…