What a concept
The Associated Press headline this morning reads: Democrats dominate as economic woes take a toll on Trump’s GOP:
Democrats dominated the first major Election Day since President Donald Trump returned to the White House.
And while a debate about the future of the Democratic Party may have only just begun, there are signs that the economy — specifically, Trump’s inability to deliver the economic turnaround he promised last fall — may be a real problem for Trump’s GOP heading into next year’s higher-stakes midterm elections.
Democrats won and won big. In Virginia, in New Jersey, and in New York City and elsewhere. In Virginia, Abigail Spanberger will be Virginia’s first female governor. She won by 15 points. In New Jersey, the New York Times reports, “Mikie Sherrill cruised to victory in a governor’s race that polls had projected would be neck and neck.” She won by 13 points. And Zohran Mamdani, 34, will be New York City’s next mayor. He defeated old-guard Democrat, Andrew Cuomo, by nearly 9 points. Mamdani will be the youngest mayor in over a century after turnout that was the highest since 1969. CNN called the California Proposition 50 redistricting question a win for Gov. Gavin Newsom with 0 percent reporting. With over a quarter of votes yet uncounted, “Yes” leads by 28 points.
As for the “future of the Democratic Party,” brace for the punditry to robotically ask: “Who represents the new face of the Democratic Party going forward, Zohran Mamdani or Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill?” Just as robotically, Democrats asked that question should answer with “Yes.”
Republicans already have an answer ready for their xenophobic base. The otherwise know-nothing-about-that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) tossed off a long X post about Mamdani salted with “extremist, “Marxist,” “dangerous,” and “radical, big-government socialist.” Very predictable. New Yorkers have salty words and gestures in response to that. They also have a new mayor-elect.
Do you understand the assignment?
Last night on MSNBC, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) gave a response to the “face of the party” question worth watching if you missed it. Voters in line were heard calling out some of the Democratic establishment. They understood that they were not just voting against the Trump agenda and for Mamdani, AOC said. They turned out in numbers to rededicate the party to the needs of working people, and their cost of living and civil rights, as well as to defeat the old guard of the Democratic Party who are on notice.
“We have a future to plan for. We have a future to fight for.” The message behind Mandami’s election is that Democrats who won’t do that together will be left behind. “Do you understand the assignment of fighting fascism right now?”
Mamdani’s victory speech below:
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Is this a private fight, or can anyone join?
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Thirty lonely but beautiful actions
Attending a Protest Surveillance Self-Defense