Reflections
by Janet Singer, CGB Political Director
We have so much to celebrate. The Democratic victories in this midterm are historic. When results are incredibly close like this, it means that the work done on the ground to get out the vote–the phone calls, the postcards, the doors knocked–is what made the difference. So, I’m feeling very proud of all that our Crimson Goes Blue community did in this election.
Our country is so polarized that there really are only a few competitive races, but Democrats won most of them, especially in the Senate and Governor’s column, but also in the House.
Why did we win the races we did? That’s a question we’ll be pondering for years. There was January 6th. There was Dobbs and there was Trump – a loser – nominating terrible candidates and continuing to litigate the past election. It gave us the opportunity to make this a choice election. It was a terrible night for Trump. The candidates that he insisted on did really badly. Voters who trust elections are much more likely to vote.
It was a very good night for our democracy. Victories in PA, WI, AZ, NV, and MI were particularly significant (including wins in many of those state legislatures) and will have a huge impact on preserving democracy in 2024 and beyond. Every single “Stop the Steal”-style candidate for secretary of state in a battleground state lost. So, election deniers will have almost no power in states where the Presidential outcome could be in doubt. Maybe most reassuring, Republican candidates who lost have conceded without incident, and polling places generally avoided voter intimidation problems.
High turnout in midterms is now the norm. Both sides are energized and they hate the other side so much that the base really turns out. Voters have grown accustomed to voting early and by mail. That helps our side and I think it is here to stay.
The midterm results demonstrate that the anti-Maga voting majority is very powerful and very big. It has arguably been the biggest political force in the last couple of elections. People really do not like the kind of extremism that the MAGA Republicans have brought. So, as long as anti-MAGA pro-democracy voters continue to turn out, Democrats will remain competitive in battleground states and districts. The January 6th hearings were critical in reminding people that Trump existed and that he was dangerous. Combined with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the costs of a MAGA majority became even clearer to voters.
It is these issues like democracy and abortion that really benefitted our side. Where democracy was threatened and where abortion might go down, voters turned out for Democrats. And I believe that the hypocrisy of the Republicans talking about freedom but actually taking away people's rights really hit home for voters.
Maybe the old rules no longer apply. The traditional models do not account for just how much American politics has changed since Donald Trump entered the political fray. The grassroots organizing and mass politicization resulted in a determined force of Democratic voters, donors, and leaders. The dominant force in American politics now — and in the foreseeable future — is this anti-MAGA pro-democracy coalition that CGB is part of. We will continue to be on the ground in the states that are most critical to winning elections.
Click here to watch CGB Political Director Janet Singer’s post-election thoughts from our online gathering on November 13.
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