A Blue Wave Concludes 2025

Mathew Biadun | News-Editor

For the first time in over a year, Democrats have reasons to be optimistic.

At the end of 2024, Democrats had been soundly beaten across the board. Republicans seized control of the White House and both chambers of Congress which, along with a conservative majority on the Supreme Court, effectively gave them firm control over all three branches of the federal government. In the year since, poll numbers for the party have plummeted, reaching lows not seen in almost thirty years at the end of August. Many Democrats were contemplating continuous defeats for years to come.

Less so, however, after Tuesday’s elections.

In three major elections, Democrats won firm victories. In the gubernatorial election in Virginia, Democrats were able to flip the state, while in New Jersey, Democrats were able to keep the state blue. Finally, in New York City’s mayoral race, Zohran Mamdani defeated former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa in a three-way race that drew international attention.

“The Democrats are back and we're winning," Ken Martin, chair of the DNC, said after the election. "We've got the momentum going into the midterm elections." Many Democrats came out of the election hopeful that discontent with the Trump administration and cost-of-living issues could provide Democrats a path to victory in next year’s midterms.

Skeptics are more cautious. Many point to the fact that New York City is a historically Democratic stronghold, and while Virginia and New Jersey have been more competitive, they are also blue-leaning competitive states. Wins in these states, therefore, are less so symbols of a rebound, and more so symbols of a limited decline. Democrats aren’t coming back, critics would argue: they’ve just stopped sinking.

Others question what this means for the direction of the Democratic party. The victory of Zohran Mamdani in New York - a thirty-six year old Muslim socialist - has inspired many. Politicians like Mamdani, who are loud and vocalize radical solutions for affordability concerns, are cited by many as the future of the party. Others, however, worry that open advocates for socialism would hurt moderate Democrats in competitive districts, who have to run as more centrist-candidates in order to win.

Such advocates have not won everywhere. In Minnesota Omar Fateh, Mamdani-like socialist candidate for Mayor of Minneapolis, lost to the moderate Democratic incumbent Jacob Frey. Even in urban cities, Mamdani’s suggested path to victory is not clear.

What has become clear is the messaging. Winning Democrats Tuesday ran largely on affordability concerns and opposition to the Trump administration. The party will no doubt take notes on this victory as the attention turns from municipal races and towards the midterm congressional and gubernatorial races next year.