Democratic Groups Draft Project 2029 as Answer to Project 2025, Critics Call It Another Policy Grab Bag
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 3
Democratic Groups Draft Project 2029 as Answer to Project 2025, Critics Call It Another Policy Grab Bag
2 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 3
Summary
Several Democratic groups are drafting a “Project 2029” document meant to answer the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 and shape a future Democratic administration.
The effort aims to offer a governing vision after what critics describe as Trump’s second-term expansion of executive power, erosion of the federal bureaucracy and attacks on public-health and equality institutions.
The opinion essay argues the draft so far falls short, saying Democrats need a reconstruction agenda for the republic rather than a standard policy platform stitched together from familiar party ideas.
Project 2025 is framed as more than a conservative wish list: its architects, including Heritage’s Kevin Roberts and OMB Director Russell Vought, cast it as a revolutionary theory of governance.
How is an old constitutional theory being used to reshape the modern federal government and its agencies?
With new rules centralizing grant approval, what is the future for independent scientific research and community nonprofits?
Project 2029: The Democratic Counter to Project 2025 and the 2028 Election Challenge
Overview
Project 2029 is a major Democratic Party initiative that arose from the realization that simply opposing rivals is not enough to win elections. Sparked by observations in mid-2025—such as Andrei Cherny’s point that candidates like Kamala Harris lacked a clear agenda—the party began to focus on building its own comprehensive vision. By early 2026, Project 2029 had become a central effort to unite different Democratic factions and create a detailed policy blueprint for the future. This project aims to move the party beyond reactive campaigning and present voters with a positive, unified plan ahead of the 2028 election.