Not only is there a road to Democratic victory, there are roads – plural.
For Republicans, there’s only one road: Trump’s way – or the highway.
Democrats took many paths to winning Tuesday – from a democratic socialist in New York City (a Muslim) to an ex-Navy officer in New Jersey (a woman) to an ex-CIA agent in Virginia (ditto).
All three – Zohran Mamdani, Mikie Sherrill (photo) and Abigail Spanberger – did one thing: focus relentlessly on the high cost of living.
They listened to voters and talked about what they cared about: the high cost of food, rent, transportation and childcare in New York City; the high cost of electricity in New Jersey; and federal layoffs and high costs in Virginia.
They stood up to Trump, but didn’t obsess over him.
In California, Governor Gavin Newsom took another path. He took on Trump directly.
Newsom persuaded 64% of California voters to temporarily halt nonpartisan redistricting as a check on Trump’s national gerrymandering scheme.
In Georgia, two Democratic candidates for the Public Service Commission ran against high electric rates, got 60% of the vote and ousted Republican incumbents.
In Pennsylvania, three Democratic Supreme Court justices won reelection. In a TV ad, they told voters: “we protected access to abortion. And your right to vote. Even when the powerful came after it.”
Republicans lost across the country – including in nominally nonpartisan municipal races in North Carolina, from Greensboro to Garner – because they were inextricably tied to the increasingly unpopular Trump.
They got all Trump’s negatives, but not the voters he turned out when he was on the ballot in 2016 and 2024.
Which raises the question: What happens to Republicans when Trump is gone?
Can Vance, Rubio or any Trump-wannabe turn out his voters?
Or will they just turn on each other?
For now, what a difference a year makes.
Democrats have new bounce in their steps and new hope in their hearts.
As Stephanie Bass, my colleague and comrade-in-arms from Jim Hunt days, emailed me Wednesday morning: “Well, that was fun.”
