The seven-figure investment will kick off in the battleground states of North Carolina and Arizona 

The DNC is launching the NextWave Regional Bootcamp training program, the DNC’s largest in-person campaign staff training program ever, to ensure Democrats have the best talent prepared to run and win campaigns in 2026 and beyond. Powered by a seven-figure investment, NextWave will feature three-day bootcamps across the country for aspiring and current campaign staff in target states to learn the skills they’ll need to win in November. The first two bootcamps will be held in the battleground states of North Carolina and Arizona. 

In total, the program will train hundreds of staff in the coming months on a variety of core campaign skills, including fundraising, communications, voter registration, organizing, and more. Bootcamps will have two tracks: one for entry-level staff new to campaigns, and another for mid-level campaign operatives. These trainings are being developed in partnership with state parties and coordinated campaigns, and will serve as a direct pipeline to staff their teams in 2026, 2027, and 2028.  

For months, the DNC has been investing in recruiting and training the next generation of Democratic talent:

• In December, following Democrats’ commanding 2025 wins, the DNC launched the Battleground Leadership Project to recruit, train, and fund coordinated campaign leadership in battleground states early in Q1 of 2026.
  
• The DNC also launched BlueMatch, a resume matchmaking service that allows state parties and campaigns to request and receive candidates from the DNC’s talent bank to fill open positions. In the three months since the November election, the DNC has seen a 191% increase in applicants to the talent bank, underscoring strong staff interest in working on Democratic campaigns nationwide this year.
  

DNC Chair Ken Martin released the following statement: 

“Democrats must seize the unprecedented momentum and enthusiasm we are seeing by ensuring campaigns across the country have the very best talent as we work to flip seats up and down the ballot. That’s why, through NextWave, the DNC is launching our largest-ever in-person training program to recruit and train new campaign staff and ensure current campaign staff have an opportunity to hone their skills ahead of these critical elections. As Donald Trump and Republicans take a sledgehammer to our economy, health care, and American values, it has never been more important for Democrats to compete on the campaign trail — and through programs like this, we are going to win in 2026 and beyond.”

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