December 12, 2014 5:29 PM

Taking a page from conservatives, progressives launch what some might see as a counterpart to ALEC

Staffers for the new group called the State Innovation Exchange, or SiX, say it will and won’t be like the American Legislative Exchange Council

WASHINGTON DC – Democrats swear the newly created State Innovation Exchange is not the progressive counterpart to ALEC, but they admit there are some things progressives would be happy to borrow from conservatives.

This new group called SiX is hosting its inaugural meeting this weekend at the Omni Shoreham in Washington DC. The group is the formal merger of three groups: the Progressive States Network; the American Legislative Issues and Campaign Exchange; and Center for State Innovation.

Kathy Miller of the Texas Freedom Network will speak at a breakfast tomorrow about Sen. Donna Campbell’s religious freedom bill. Democratic stalwart Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, also is expected to be in attendance. But, for the most part, this gathering is about creating the network to win states where winning a Democratic majority is still possible. No one mentions Texas.