The “affordability” pivot is still being assembled, a year in. House Democrats spent three days at their 2026 issues retreat searching for a positive agenda and a modern “Six for ’06” equivalent—meaning more than a year into Trump’s term, the proactive message was still a work in progress. Younger voters are frustrated by exactly this. Reporting notes younger Democrats are dissatisfied with “cautious leadership and ineffective messaging,” suggesting the base itself senses the absence of a substantive agenda.