It was totally clusters of spittle bugs. I washed them off with a hose no problem. Some aesthetic damage to the plant but it seems to be fine otherwise.
Do they normally produce a lot of sap? This is my first time growing one. It's hard to find good info on Google because the results are all for supplements or medicinal info.
I noticed a few days ago this slime on my echinacea. It's white and clear and about the consistency of snot. It reappears in the morning. The only thing I found online was that it might be a slug but that's a lot of slime for a slug.