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Democrats are confident they will be able to hammer home their newly unveiled economic agenda, even as health care and Washington drama dominate the news. And theyre planning to use the upcoming August recess to do just that.

Im branding our entire Augustdistrict work period as A better deal for theheartland, Rep. Cheri Bustossaid.

The Illinois Democrat, who last month was named chairwoman of heartland engagement for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said all of her events fromeconomic roundtables andmeetingswith local editorial boardsto her Cheri on Shift initiatives, in which she shadows people working different jobs will be framed around the Democratic economic agenda.

Bustos push signifies a broader challengefor Democrats: keeping the focus on their platformand connecting their plan toconstituents, some of whom voted forPresident Donald Trump last fall.

The goalis for members to come back after August and reassess what resonated with constituents, Bustos said.

Were asking all of our members to come back and let us know, how did it work? Are people nodding theirheads when youre talking about this, or are they looking like theyre confused? Or are there areas of it that resonate and are there parts that dont? shesaid.There will likely be a series of meetings on the topic in September, she added.

After some soul searching following Trumps victory, Democrats decided they needed to focus on an economic agenda to connectwith Americans who are feelingleft behind.

Months of meetings and discussions ledto the Better Deal economic platform, which Democrats unveiled Monday in Berryville, Virginia. The rollout garnered significant media attention, including live cable news coverage.

But one day later, attention shifted to the Senate health care votes, Trumps berating of his attorney general, and the ongoingRussia investigation.

Democrats say they were well-aware that those other issueswould take over the news cycle but their rollout was timed so members would have an economic agenda to take home in August.

Every day in Washington theres some kind of distraction, whether its Jared Kushner having to testify in front of the Senate or whether its having Donald Trump tweeting something at midnight, Bustos said. The point is weve got 190 plus members of the U.S. House of Representatives who will be going home and talking about a better deal that we are offering to the people who we serve.

House Democrats will be given toolkits on the Better Deal platform, which is typical for an August recess. The toolkits include talking points, sample op-eds, and digital media suggestions, a senior House Democratic aide said.

That is the whole point of the August recess push, for members to go out and talk about this agenda and take it to the people, the aide said.

We wanted people to be able to go home and say, This is what were fighting for as Democrats, that were all singing from the same song sheet, Bustos said.

Bustossaidthe message could resonate in a rangeofdistricts, including liberal-leaning onesand more moderatedistricts like her own.Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzalesrates Bustos northwest Illinoisdistrict as SolidlyDemocratic, but Trump carriedit by less than apoint in November.

Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, whose downstateNew York district also supported Trump, called the platform a step in the right direction.

Maloney, who has also conducted a reviewof theDemocrats campaign arm following last years election,said Democrats would be able to relay their message to voters amid ongoing investigations and policy fights in D.C.

I dont think its a challenge at all, hesaid. I think its getting back to basics. Its always been part of our message but its important that we all get on the same page and talk about things that matter around the kitchen table to working families.

Democrats are expected torelease additional policy proposals under theBetter Deal framework in the fall, which could also focus someattention on their agenda. The Democratic aide said input from constituentsover August could help determine which policy proposals are unveiled first.

This is not a one day announcement, said Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen. Were going to be sticking with this, week in and week out.

Van Hollen, the chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee,said Democrats will have to be disciplined in talking about their economic agenda.

Sen. Tim Kaineknows well the challenge of penetrating a news cycle dominatedby Trump. The Virginia Democrat ran as Hillary Clintons vice presidential nominee last year, and is running for re-election in 2018 in a race that Inside Elections rates Likely Democratic.

The difference between 2016 and 2018 for me is I just have to run in one state, Kaine said. Its a state that Im very familiar with. And its frankly a state whose own experience on economic issues is very consistent with the [Democratic] message.

Kaine, notinghis experience as the Old Dominionsgovernor, dismissed questions about whether Democrats could maintain attention on their economic platform.

These are the kinds of things that Ive talked about in virtually every race Ive run in Virginia,he said. So Im not overly worried about: Will we be able to keep this issue front and center for folks? We will be able to in Virginia.

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Democrats Plan to Push 'Better Deal' Over August Recess - Roll Call