"Progress 2028" may look like a Democratic response to "Project 2025," but it's not
At first glance, an initiative called "Progress 2028" appears to be a progressive version of "Project 2025," the conservative blueprint spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation that includes policy proposals for the next president.
However, Progress 2028 is not linked to Vice President Kamala Harris or any progressive group, according to an analysis by CBS News; rather, it is a campaign funded by conservatives with the goal of linking Harris to policy ideas she has not supported in her presidential campaign.
According to Virginia State Corporation Commission records shared by OpenSecrets, a conservative nonprofit called Building America's Future registered Progress 2028 on Sept. 23. The website progress2028.com was then registered three days later.
Building America's Future has received millions from conservative supporters, including billionaire Elon Musk, according to The Wall Street Journal, and has promoted Trump campaign material while running ads critical of the Biden administration.
What does Progress 2028 claim?
The website makes a number of false claims about Harris' positions. It says she would prioritize a nationwide gun buyback program and is committed to banning fracking, which she says she will not do. Its Facebook ads also incorrectly state she "WILL FIGHT TO EXPAND MEDICARE FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS" as well as give them drivers licenses and housing subsidies.
These claims do not reflect Harris' policy positions or campaign platform. In fact, undocumented immigrants remain ineligible for Social Security benefits and Medicare, according to the Social Security Administration, and there is no evidence Harris is attempting to change these policies.
During the Democratic primaries in 2019, Harris previously expressed support for banning fracking and buyback programs for assault weapons alone, but during her 2024 presidential run she said she no longer supports either proposal and would not ban fracking.
A Harris-Walz campaign spokesman told CBS News that Progress 2028 is a "lie to deceive voters."
The group behind Progress 2028 spent more than $265,000 on such ads in the week between Oct. 15 and Oct. 21, according to Facebook's Ad Library.
Progress 2028 launched new ads as recently as Saturday, Oct. 26.
Progress 2028's Facebook ads have received millions of impressions, though their own social media accounts have had limited engagement so far. A Facebook page for Progress 2028 has less than 100 followers.
"This type of political advertising isn't new and has been found across the media landscape for decades," said Meta spokesperson Ryan Daniels in a statement. Meta also noted it requires a disclaimer for political ads and will block new political ads during the final week of the campaign, a practice they introduced in 2020.
Project 2025 remains a talking point of campaign
Democrats, including President Biden and Vice President Harris, have repeatedly claimed that former President Donald Trump is involved in or will follow Project 2025.
Trump has not adopted the blueprint as his campaign platform and has attempted to distance himself from it. However, dozens of former Trump administration officials contributed to Project 2025, and CBS News identified at least 270 proposals out of 700 in their published blueprint that match Trump's past policies and current campaign promises.
A number of polls in recent months suggest that a majority of Americans view Project 2025 unfavorably.
CBS News has reached out to Progress 2028 for comment.