The 2026 midterm elections resulted in massive changes in legislative and executive offices across the country. Results are still being tabulated in some races, but as of Nov. 12, there will be more than 135 new members of Congress, 21 new Governors, and more than 1,500 new state legislators. The elections changed control from the Republican to the Democratic party in the Senate, the House, six Governorships, and 12 state chambers, as well as created six new Democratic trifectas and five fewer Republican ones (as of Nov. 12).
New policymakers present opportunities to propose new and expanded policies (and potential threats to existing initiatives). Conversations to advance these efforts will require education about economic development, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
This map illustrates the amount of change in statehouses and executive mansions across the country:
Economic development practitioners in these states who have not already begun to plan an outreach or policy education strategy should do so as soon as possible: states’ legislative sessions begin as early as January 5, 2027—less than two months away.
Actions for practitioners
Here are five actions practitioners can begin now to be ready to work effectively with the new lawmakers in 2027.
- Conduct an objective analysis of your work.
The best assessments are make reasonable assumptions and include quantitative and qualitative information. Often, evaluations by third parties will earn the most trust from policymakers, but a well-done internal report can be effective too. - Develop well-supported proposals for state action.
Whether your region seeks new initiatives, increased investment, or continuation of existing policy, proposals that receive the greatest consideration do the following: concisely identify a compelling rationale, offer efficient and effective solutions, are supported by evidence and stakeholders, and can demonstrate their value relative to competing proposals. - Prepare clear and compelling communications.
From written reports to in-person conversations, any presentation of your work should make no assumptions that the audience will have background knowledge of the field, economy, or existing policy, be free of industry jargon (and light on acronyms), be accessible at both high and detailed levels of attention, and provide substantial motivation and rationale to act. - Identify effective advocates among your stakeholder network.
Economic development leaders will not always have an existing relationship with newly-elected policymakers. A well-structured board should, and funders, clients, and partners may have connections that they can share too. Understanding this network can help convey or validate your ideas to help the region and state thrive. - Create a strategy to communicate early and often with key leaders.
The prior four pieces are the tools that economic development organizations should have in place to work effectively with new policymakers. A strategy for when, where, and how these communications will happen is crucial to ensure the tools are put to their best use.
To be clear: in some states, policy and budget proposals already are moving forward. In those cases, economic development practitioners goals for 2027 will be to complete the five actions named above while building strong relationships ahead of a 2028 proposal window.
Resources and assistance
Numerous resources exist to help economic developers communicate their work and ideas effectively to state leaders. A few to start with include:
- MultiState’s nationwide calendar of state legislature dates,
- High-level guidance for effective advocacy campaigns from government affairs platforms (e.g., Bloomberg, Quorum), and
- Speaking with your most relevant economic development association for articles and other resources about how to do this well.
Excel helps regional and statewide economic development organizations that want expert, outside assistance with these steps.
Our recent projects have included documenting program performance, benchmarking regional activity against peers, interviewing stakeholders, identifying policy solutions to create stronger impacts, and developing effective messages and strategies to support policy proposals.
If you want assistance with your regional approach, schedule a 25- or 60-minute meeting from my calendar or email me to find time to talk.