By Carol Lucas
Last week I made clear my enthusiasm for the vast number of people who turned out on No Kings Day to peacefully protest the present administration’s immoral and cruel tactics. There were protests throughout the country, and every state had people marching, in small towns and large cities.
Just as heartening were other countries who joined in support and showed their objection to what they see as the pending decline of our country.
All of this was gratifying, but I read several posts on social media, all asking the same question: “To what end?” or “What does that turnout prove?” “Was this all for naught?”
Well, dear reader, this past Tuesday, those concerns were answered in resounding fashion. It’s not a stretch to say that citizens who chose to protest the week before set the tone for those states where off-year elections were held.
I was almost too skeptical to believe that the bell rung last week was a harbinger of things to come, but how delighted I was to see that skepticism blown away!
It is fair to say the Democrats finally recognized they had to go on the offensive. No more “Mr. Nice Guy,” as Alice Cooper wailed.
Tuesday night was a far cry from the shell-shocked scenes in Democrats’ election headquarters a year ago this November. There were key races to watch, at least those of us who care about what is happening to our country.
Perhaps the one receiving the most attention was that of mayor for New York City. Funny that a mayoral race should receive this much attention, but then, we all know why. A Muslim had the audacity to run (and good grief, win).
Forget that plane donated to No. 47 for a lavish makeover. Or worse yet, “selling a piece of America,” as one reporter put it, in reference to allowing a Qatari Emiri Air Force facility at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.
Mamdani collected over 1.03 million votes as of 10 p.m. Tuesday, which is larger than the population of five states, according to U.S. Census figures.
There were two governor’s positions at stake, and people knew from watching what conservative governors were conducting in their states (say Texas loud and clear as Gov. Gregg Abbott started the ball rolling in this court, albeit at 47’s command).
Thus, N.J., and Va., were necessary wins … and they did, handily! The opponents of Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger decided early on to hitch their star to No. 47, which proved to be disastrous.
All three of these candidates focused upon the voters’ top concern: affordability, and in doing so, were able to attach that lack to the present administration.
Overwhelming wins by these three come as No. 47 and Republicans have seen sinking approval ratings 10 months into his second term.
“We sent a message to the whole world that in 2025, Virginia chose pragmatism over partisanship. We chose our commonwealth over chaos,” Spanberger said.
And by “we,” I am going to assert that this applies to the vast number of wins throughout.
There were additional indications of the population’s unrest and distrust for No. 47 and all that he and his cronies have perpetrated in less than a year’s time. Consider Prop 50, in Calif.
I am the first to have a problem with “redistricting.” I think it is a blatant technique to control election results. That said, I refer you once again to Gov. Gregg Abbott of Texas. It is he who began this rampage, and it was Gavin Newsom who decided to “fight fire with fire.”
Make no mistake, there are times when this is the only alternative. No more Mr. Nice Guy approach in full mode. According to CBS News polling, those who supported Prop 50 overwhelmingly cited opposition to the Trump administration as the reason.
This move allows state legislators to redistrict before the midterm elections scheduled for next year, in an effort to counter GOP-led gerrymandering in other states, CBS highlighted. It will be interesting to see whether or not other Democratic governors will do the same in the coming months.
Another race that I watched because it was held in my home state was that of S.C. judges in Pennsylvania. Voters approved the retention of three Supreme Court justices on Tuesday, preserving a 5-2 majority of Democrats on the state’s high court.
While Dougherty and Wecht each won another 10-year term, Donohue will continue to serve until 2027, when she will reach the mandatory retirement age of 75 for justices.
And so, I believe it is safe to say that Dems won across the spectrum as voters make clear their rejection of No. 47 and what he has managed to do to the economy. Very simply, they are not happy with the state of the country.
Just as with last year’s elections, where nearly every Democratic led state shifted red, voters appeared to want change from the status quo.
I watched one Republican commentator try to brush this off by saying that elections of this nature more often than not go against the present party in office. However, I believe this time there is more to it.
Consider this: ICE raids and how they are conducted. Masks. Mistaken identity. Too close to Nazi raids, and people still remember their history.
Gerrymandering.
Bombing of unproven drug runners in international waters resulting in more than 60 deaths.
Stopping the distribution of food by halting SNAP. Regardless of what you think about this “give away,” kids in this country are going hungry, and those with a conscience voted accordingly.
Of course, the president reacted angrily to the wins on social media, arguing that the ongoing government shutdown and the fact that he was not on the ballot were the reasons Republicans lost. Perhaps the attitude conveyed by that statement accounts for the vote, but I digress!
Regardless of your take on the recent elections, one thing is true. The people have spoken.
Carol Lucas is a retired high school teacher and a Lady’s Island resident. She is the author of the recently published “A Breath Away: One Woman’s Journey Through Widowhood.”
