Debbie Cox Bultan — CEO of the NewDEAL, a network of center-left state and local elected officials focused on delivering results rather than fighting culture wars — joins the Chuck Toddcast to make the case for the unglamorous, often-overlooked pragmatic wing of the Democratic Party. Bultan argues that the center-left's defining challenge is structural and almost temperamental: moderates and pragmatists are, by their very nature, not the loud part of the coalition, which means they get drowned out. She rejects the premise that "fighting the other side" has to mean yelling, argues that governing effectively is still the best way for talented officials to rise through the ranks. Bultan notes a crucial asymmetry that gives her hope: the left has not actually dominated Democratic primaries the way the right has captured GOP primaries, in part because the perception of electability matters far more to base Democratic voters than it does to the Republican base — and she points to how even Mamdani's focus on affordability carried genuine cross-party appeal as evidence that pragmatic, results-oriented messaging still works.

The conversation digs into the deeper tensions facing the party heading into a favorable 2026 and a wide-open 2028. Bultan introduces the concept of "pragmatic disruption" — the idea that the people who genuinely want to disrupt a broken system actually need government to work to do it. Bultan argues the leadership of key left-leaning interest groups has drifted much further left than the actual Democratic electorate, advises candidates to stop answering interest-group questionnaires that force them into litmus-test corners, and warns that base voters can become obsessed with issues only 1% of the electorate actually cares about. She frames this moment — with Trump as a uniquely norm-breaking figure and the country's 250th anniversary approaching — as the perfect opening for a serious conversation about democracy reform.

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Timeline:

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00:00 Debbie Cox Bultan (New Deal Leaders) joins the Chuck ToddCast

02:00 What is the best way to describe the center-left?

03:30 New Deal is a group of center-left officials trying to deliver results

04:45 What’s different between New Deal and the DLCC?

05:15 Need to modernize progressive politics for the 21st century

06:45 Members don’t have to declare which part of coalition they are in

07:15 Governing effectively is the best way to rise up the ranks

08:30 The democratic pipeline for talent has proven to be effective

09:00 Want to support talented candidates once they get elected

10:15 By nature, the moderates/centrists aren’t a loud part of the coalition

11:15 Some voters treat bipartisan compromise as treason

12:00 Reject the idea that “fighting the other side” means yelling

12:45 20% of Democratic voters post the vast majority of online content

14:15 The political conflict isn’t just online, it’s starting to be everywhere

16:45 The institutionalists are now between the center left and right

17:30 State & local officials are the bright spots in American politics

18:45 Primary season heightens partisanship

19:30 The left hasn’t dominated Democratic primary elections

20:15 Perception of electability matters more to base Dems than base GOP

21:00 Mamdani’s focus on affordability has had cross party appeal to voters

22:15 Is there such a thing as “pragmatic disruption”?

23:15 People who want to be disrupters need government to work

27:45 Do Democrats need to diversify the backgrounds of their office holders?

28:30 More veterans are now running as Democrats

31:15 Trump is a uniquely troubling and norm-breaking person

32:00 Feels like beginning of the 20th century, need major reforms

33:15 The 250th anniversary is a great time to talk about democracy reform

34:15 Democrats are going to have a great election in ‘26

34:45 If Dems win both chambers, how do they govern with Trump?

36:30 What do you say to progressives who have never had the presidency?

38:45 The word socialism has a different meaning to different voters

39:30 Can center-left Dems get behind a DSA nominee?

41:30 Do progressives really want to risk someone like RFK running healthcare?

42:00 Progressives can’t rebrand the world socialism

44:15 Leadership of key interest groups on left are much further left now

44:45 Candidates shouldn’t answer questionnaires from interest groups

45:45 Base voters can obsess over issues 1% of electorate cares about

47:00 The donors are part of the problem, but that’s starting to change

48:00 Democrats need to do a lot more listening

48:30 What could you provide a local official that wants to run for higher office?

49:30 Helping candidates with pragmatic governing and skill development

52:45 Civic engagement and national service could help the country heal

54:45 People need to understand “with rights come responsibilities”

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