The Dartmouth Political Union is proud to host Jen O’ Malley Dillon and Maya Handa for a debate about the future of the Democratic Party. As midterms approach, what will the Democratic Party’s platform be for 2026? For 2028? How will the Democratic Party change its platform and messaging to reach the voters they lost in 2024? Jen O’Malley Dillon and Maya Handa will debate these questions and more as they consider the future of the Democratic Party.

Jen O’Malley Dillon is a trailblazing political strategist whose career offers deep insight into U.S. politics. Having managed seven presidential campaigns and advised at the highest levels of government, she offers fresh insight into the forces shaping recent elections—and what to expect in those to come. Jen has made history as the first woman to manage a winning Democratic presidential campaign, cementing her status as one of the most influential political strategists.

Maya Handa is a progressive Democratic political strategist who most recently managed NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s winning general election campaign. Prior to her role on Mayor Mamdani’s campaign, she worked as a management consultant, in international development and emergency response, and on Democratic campaigns at the national, state, and municipal levels across the country. She has a B.A. in Public Policy from the University of Chicago and currently lives in Brooklyn, NY.