Around 60 Democratic candidates, including 10 sitting members of Congress, have signed a “Promise to America” pledge declaring “we are capitalist, not socialist”, Reuters reported on Tuesday.

The pledge is aimed at countering Republican attacks that paint Democrats as hostile to business, as the party fights to win back working-class and suburban voters ahead of the midterms.

Strategist Doug Schoen said the move reflected a recognition that the party needed to reclaim pro-growth credentials. Signatories have promised to support policies that encourage investment and job creation.

The pledge has drawn mixed reactions within the party, with progressives warning against abandoning economic populism. Republicans dismissed it as election-year rebranding, setting up a fresh front in the battle over the economy. Party strategists say the pledge is aimed squarely at swing-district voters who backed Democrats in 2024 but remain sceptical of the party’s economic agenda. Whether it reassures business groups or alienates the progressive base will become clear as more candidates decide whether to sign.