In the 2022 midterm elections, Democratic candidates defied expectations, outperforming in tough swing districts up and down the ballot and across the country. Ahead of these midterms, Data for Progress conducted 77,197 respondent interviews to examine the effect of messages and issue positions from previous and current Democratic Senate and House candidates.

Based on these findings, we make the following recommendations to Democratic stakeholders ahead of the 2024 election:

• Democrats should prioritize raising the salience of issues where they have a trust advantage — specifically healthcare, Social Security, climate change, and abortion. In particular, Democrats should communicate about these issues with messages that not only appeal to our existing base, but also to a growing electoral coalition.

• Democratic candidates should highlight contrasts with the most unpopular Republican positions and hold their opponents accountable on issues where they are out of step with the electorate — like restricting voting rights, banning abortion, and privatizing Social Security.

• The most effective Democratic messages featured lowering costs; creating new jobs; spurring domestic manufacturing; taking on Big Pharma; protecting Social Security; highlighting the economic benefits of clean energy production; and defending abortion rights by emphasizing bodily autonomy, personal privacy, and government interference.

• The most effective Democratic policies featured protecting and expanding Social Security; reforming prescription drug pricing; increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour; improving infrastructure; raising taxes on individuals making more than $1 million a year; and requiring a background check for every gun purchase.