The 2025 off-year year proved to be a primary success for the Democrats, as candidates at the state and local levels managed to go to several Republican strongholds across the country.
Much of the National Spotlight has focused on Zohran Mamdani’s landmark victory in New York, along with Democratic victories in New Jersey and Virginia. And in both Virginia and New Jersey there are many precincts or voting blocs that voted for Trump in 2024 that then voted for Democrats this year.
However, the results in smaller districts may offer a better understanding of the political landscape heading into the midterms.
In Erie County, Pennsylvania, a region that will fail to favor Trump in the 2024 election, Democrat Christina Vogel won by a 24-point margin. Meanwhile, in the 66th state of Berlin, Democrat Nicole Cole unseated Bobby, a Republican who has held the seat for 36 years and is the GOP’s staunchest supporter.
Democrats also secured two victories in Georgia’s public commission marking their first non-federal statewide since 2006 and the largest victory margins in more than two decades. Alicia Johnson defeated incumbent Tim Echols by a margin of 58 to 41%, while Peter Hubbard beat Fitz Johnson by 61 to 39%. The commission is responsible for utilities and has “exclusive power to decide what are fair and reasonable rates for services under its jurisdiction”.
Even in deep Red Mississippi, Democrats have achieved significant progress through Fly Two Sych State seats, ending a 13-year Republican Supermajority. This shift prevents the GOP from unilaterally overriding gubernatorial vetoes or passing constitutional amendments quickly.
In another notable result, the Democrats gained control of the Ondaga County service in New York for first time for nearly five decades. They won all six contested seats, returning a 12-5 Republican advantage to a 2-7 Democratic majority.
Pennsylvania also saw democratic momentum, as voters in the critical swing county of Luzerne elected four Democrats and one Republican to the County Council, giving Democrats the County Council. Republican John Lombardo is the only incumbent to retain his seat.
Coveny Democratic Chair Thomas Shubilla expressed his satisfaction with the results, speaking to REAL TIME: “We’re still in the fight and out there winning elections with good candidates and hard work.”
Meanwhile, progressive policies also seemed to prevail on Tuesday. Colorado voters approved a pair of ballot measures aimed at giving Free Food in public public schools. The incentive mm increases taxes on households that earn more than $ 300,000 per year to fund universal meals, purchase cafeterias in cafeterias. Any additional revenue collected from the tax increase will go to the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP).
Voters also passed proposition ll, allowing the state to keep surplus tax funds generated by meals with more than $300,000 “to fund free school meals, and allocate the same program.
“Earthquake wins last night proved that voters are rejecting GOP extremism and that the benefits crisis is relevant to voters,” President of the Democratic Marriage Conference statement. “This is when things are done, this is the lead for the Democrats.”
In Maine, voters rejected a proposed ballot measure that sought to introduce VOTER ID requirements, which critics described as “Voter Plotression”. According to the ap64% voted against it.
These results, combined with Mamdani’s victory in New York and the democratic successes in Virginia and New Jersey, prompted a positive reaction from the President. “Trump is not on the ballot, and the shutdown, are the two reasons why the Republicans lost the election tonight,” about the President’s posting late at night and the next morning.
But whatever the cause of the democratic puncture, it’s clear that Trump’s popularity among Americans has something to do with it. The President’s approval rating fell to one of its lowest points since early November, with 37% of Americans expressing approval of his performance as President.
However, the Democrats are not in the water yet. In July, the party’s own approval rating hit 30-years-old. The blue wave of victories may have those on the left celebrating in the US, but it falls to the Democratic Party to see if it can bring energy and youth that will appeal to the midterms and beyond.