Key reasons for Democrats to be hopeful after the election — and cautious |
Democrats got a much-needed morale boost on Tuesday when elections across the nation went their way.
A party that has been divided and discontented since President Trump won his second term a year ago had its first taste of a comeback.
The biggest national story was the victory of 34-year-old democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani (D) in the New York City mayoral race.
Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-N.J.) and former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) also strolled to easy victories in gubernatorial contests in their respective states, while California easily passed a proposal tied to redistricting that had been pushed by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D).
Still, that doesn’t mean Democrats are on a glide path to victory in next year’s midterms — or that they’re about to stymie Trump.
Here are five brief reasons for Democratic optimism — and five reasons for caution.
The good news for Democrats
They thumped the GOP
The margins by which Democratic candidates won were significant — as were some triumphs in lower-profile races.
As Election Day dawned there was real fear in Democratic circles that Sherrill could lose in New Jersey to her Republican opponent Jack Ciattarelli.
In the end, she won by 13 points. In Virginia, Spanberger cantered to victory by almost 15 points.
Races for the Public Service Commission in Georgia don’t exactly command national headlines, but Democrats