Blue Dog members say they still stand by the old centrist mantra of fiscal responsibility, a strong national defense, and commonsense solutions to practical problems. But their membership today reflects how much the demographic and geographic profiles of the Democratic Party have changed – and how much the political center has shifted.

The House’s most moderate Democrats are rolling out a detailed policy plan on Friday aimed at countering foreign election interference, in hopes that they can refocus the post-Mueller Report discussion away from impeachment and instead revive election security measures languishing in Mitch McConnell’s Senate.

In just her second term, Rep. Stephanie Murphy is suddenly a critical figure in the House as co-chief of the moderate Blue Dog Coalition. Once on the verge of extinction, the Blue Dogs nearly tripled their membership after the 2018 elections and now have 25 members. And Murphy and the Blue Dogs are proving themselves to be a force — challenging leadership and the caucus’ progressive wing with real success.

Top members of the centrist Democrat Blue Dog Coalition are holding out hope for bipartisan accomplishments on pressing infrastructure projects. Rep. Tom O'Halleran (D-Ariz.) the group’s co-chairman for policy, and Reps. Joe Cunningham (D-S.C.) and Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.), the co-chairs on its task force on infrastructure and job creation, in a letter on Monday requested input from think tanks, labor, environmental groups, small business groups and the business community on regulatory reform and policy solutions.

Members of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of moderate House Democrats, are cautioning the party's leadership against disregarding the caucus’ pay-as-you-go rule. In a letter sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) on Wednesday, the group noted the rule was passed with overwhelming Democratic support at the beginning of the 116th Congress. Blue Dogs also called on Democratic leaders to “only advance legislation that is fully paid for.” Pay-as-you-go calls for any increases in the deficit to be paid for.