Leaders at the Third Way conference repeatedly talked about how Democrats can’t move too far left of center, or when choosing their next presidential nominee, if they have any hope of winning back the White House.

The title of the two-day, invitation-only conference: “Winning in the Middle.” And there is plenty of advice on how to do it.

Be frank, not pompous or academic. Don’t live online, but be real on social media. Relax, and be patriotic without fear that something like the American flag or Pledge of Allegiance has been co-opted by conservatives.

Matt Bennett, co-founder of Third Way, said the organization of moderate Democrats plans to meet again and again as the next presidential campaign approaches, gathering people to influence and work for Democratic candidates.

“We did it early, and we did it, more aggressively than last time,” Bennett said. “We have a team in place talking every day with 2028ers.”

Jim Messina, who managed Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign, said Democrats still need to find their footing with voters.

“In 2026, we will win, because we have a good nominee, and his name is Donald Trump,” he said, implying that Trump’s unpopularity sets the stage for Democratic victories in his view. “But we will lose the presidential election in 2028 if we don’t find an economic message that resonates with the majority of people.”

Asked to give Democrats the “brutal truth,” Messina said, “We don’t have an economic message, and if we don’t get one, we can’t win.”

The location of the conference was no accident. South Carolina has become important in the Democratic presidential primaries, including improving Joe Biden’s victory in 2020. Although a new calendar from the Democratic National Committee will not be ready for several months, Bennett said that Democrats expect the state to remain influential.

“We need to socialize these ideas quickly, so they can start to take hold and be widely shared by the time we get to the main part of their primary cycle,” Bennett said.

There’s no shortage of style tips at the conference.

“Democrats are seen as professors, academics, elites – I mean, my God, take off your freaking sport coat and talk to me,” said Joe Walsh, who was a tea party Republican when he represented Illinois in the US House but became a Democrat last year. “Voters in general are just crying out for authenticity.”

But for Walsh, that doesn’t mean taking a cue from the likes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who began visiting early presidential primary states, including South Carolina. In criticizing Trump on social media, Newsom mimicked the president’s tone, trolling Trump in his all-caps style.

“I think imitating and copying a lot of Trumpism is not the way you’re going to reach a lot of people,” Walsh said. “Voters in general are just crying out for authenticity.”

There are recommendations on issues, too. A little over 100 people in the audience raised their hands when asked how many worked the word “accessibility” — the loudest of the campaign’s buzzwords — into messaging materials.

“I think some of you are lying,” joked Gabe Horwitz, who leads Third Way’s economics program, noting that the actual number is much higher.

Melissa Morales of Somos Votantes, a Latino voter and civic engagement organization, said Democrats should cut the word from their campaign vocabulary.

“It barely makes sense in English, and it’s a nightmare to translate into Spanish, so can we call it something else?” he asked.

“They didn’t ask us for economic theory, they asked us for a set of daily solutions,” added Morales. “And if we want to connect with them, that’s how we do it.”