Republicans are freaking out that Democrats Zohran Mamdani of New York City, Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, and Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey won big. Do the Democrats winning these cities and states herald a looming disaster for the Republicans in the 2026 midterms? The Dems and the media will spin it that way, but I don't think it does. These are places Republicans were not likely to win anyway, especially in NYC and Virginia. One of the things that helped Zohran was that it was an off-year election, so fewer people showed up, and I suspect buyer's remorse will settle in quickly. Moreover, they are all places that Trump lost in 2024. The Democrat party was a regional power a year ago, and they remain a regional power today, and one in rapid decline.
In a roundabout way, I think Zohran winning will help the Republicans during the midterms. Where does the Dem party go after electing a socialist, Islamic mayor? His politics might fly in deep blue NYC, but not nationwide. By the Dems endorsing him, it's just an indication that the radicals have completely taken over the Democrat party, disenfranchising all moderates. It will certainly have no appeal to the independents either. What it will do is offer Republicans great fodder for the midterms and light a fire under them to take nothing for granted. So, a battle has been lost, but not the war. Far from it.
