A bright night for democracy as voters repudiate Trump’s scorched-earth policies | Editorial

After some dark days in the wilderness, the Democratic Party struck a spark.

Thanks in large part to Donald Trump’s scorched-earth policies and rampant corruption, Democrats swept elections across the country, racking up wins in red and blue states with moderate and liberal candidates in big and small races, including the governorship of New Jersey and retaining three seats on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

It remains to be seen if Democrats can turn Tuesday night’s success into a winning formula to regain control of Congress in 2026, let alone the White House in 2028 — a political lifetime away. Trump still has massive, unchecked power, and has stoked gerrymandering battles that promise to scramble the electoral map.

But voters in a still deeply polarized country showed — for now, at least — that nearly 250 years of democracy will live to fight another day.

Democrats were seemingly left for dead last November after Trump won back the White House and Republicans took control of the Senate, while retaining a slim majority in the House. The Democratic Party spent much of 2025 mired in internal fights and searching for a compelling message to win back working-class, young, and some Black and brown voters who voted for a twice-impeached, convicted felon who promised retribution.

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As the blue wave roared across the country on election night, Trump, 79, tried to distance himself from the wipeout, posting on social media in all caps: “TRUMP WASN’T ON THE BALLOT.” He also rolled out his tired and unfounded claims of election fraud.

The large turnouts for an off-year election showed voters were outraged and motivated by Trump’s overreach, failed policies, and attacks on democracy, including his tariffs, mass deportations, government layoffs, federal funding cuts, tax cuts for the rich, cuts to healthcare, perversion of the U.S. Department of Justice, pardons of cronies and Jan. 6, 2021, insurrectionists, and his brazen pocket lining.

Cuts to food assistance for poor people brought on by the government shutdown, while billionaire cronies contribute to a $300 million ballroom at the White House, underscore how little Trump cares about average Americans.

The president campaigned in 2024 on a promise to reduce inflation. Remember the outrage over the price of eggs? But his on-and-off again tariffs and deportations have caused economic havoc and uncertainty, while food and energy prices soar.

A year later, Democrats seized on Trump’s growing unpopularity to rack up historic election wins.

U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill became the first Democratic woman elected governor of New Jersey, beating Trump-backed Republican Jack Ciattarelli in a landslide.

Democrat Abigail Spanberger, a former congresswoman, became the first woman elected governor in Virginia.

Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist, became the first Muslim elected mayor of New York City, handily beating former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who was endorsed by Trump, a native New Yorker.

Mamdani, 34, a previously little-known state representative, did something Democrats have struggled to do in recent elections: He energized young voters who turned out in record numbers and rejected Cuomo, who ran as an independent but represented the Democratic establishment.

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Interestingly, Mamdani, a far-left progressive, and Sherrill and Spanberger, both moderates, each put together winning formulas by focusing on different kitchen table issues — underscoring that there is room and lessons to be learned for Democrats to appeal to a broad base of voters.

Of course, having Trump as an authoritarian foil helped to boost turnout and ensure most of the races were not close.

Despite big spending by Pennsylvania’s richest man to oust three state Supreme Court justices, roughly 60% of voters decided to retain them for another 10-year term — understanding they were a bulwark against Republican efforts to strip away voting and abortion rights.

In California, roughly 64% of voters approved new congressional districts that will benefit Democrats in an effort to counter Trump’s push to add Republican House seats in Texas.

Trump’s desperate bid to retain GOP control of the House in the 2026 midterm elections has ignited a gerrymandering fight across blue and red states that has further alarmed voters. The large turnout in California for a referendum measure was a major win for Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has become a thorn in the president’s side.

Republicans lost in purple and red states, as well.

In Maine, voters rejected — by double digits — a conservative-backed ballot measure to add restrictions on voting by mail and require photo ID before casting a ballot.

In Ohio, a Democrat was reelected mayor in Cincinnati with 78% of the vote, trouncing the half-brother of Vice President JD Vance.

In Georgia, two Republican members on the state utility board lost in a landslide to Democrats, an upset that was viewed as a referendum on rising electric prices.

In Bucks County, a bellwether within the swing state of Pennsylvania, Democrats swept the row offices of district attorney, sheriff, recorder of deeds, prothonotary, and controller — each winning by at least 25,000 votes.

The sheriff’s race was particularly significant because incumbent MAGA supporter Fred Harran made headlines by agreeing to partner with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in the round-up of migrants. Democratic challenger Danny Ceisler, 33, who had never run for office before, won easily.

Rest assured, Trump will be back, raging against the dying of the light and doing untold damage for at least another year. But if Democrats can build on their success, perhaps the American Experiment will not go gentle into that good night.