House Minority Leader Brandon Woodard summed up Kansas Democrats’ 2026 session goals with a familiar refrain: “affordability, affordability, affordability.”

That message was echoed by Florida House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell, Oregon House Majority Leader Ben Bowman and New Jersey Senate Majority Whip Vin Gopal on a webinar to preview the 2026 legislative sessions that was hosted Tuesday by NewDEAL Leaders — a group of center-left state and local leaders.

All panelists aimed to achieve the same goal through slightly different means adapted to their states.

Woodard, a Lenexa Democrat, proposed giving renters 15% of their rent back through a tax rebate, expanding Medicaid, eliminating the copay for free and reduced school lunches and more. Most of his proposals were a reprisal from a Monday press conference where Kansas House Democrats revealed their policy goals for the session.