Democratic leaders reflect on midterm results and what's next for the party
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed speaks during a midterm election night watch party at the Department at Hudson’s on November 4 in Detroit, Michigan.
Salwan Georges/Getty Images/Getty Images North America
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Salwan Georges/Getty Images/Getty Images North America
Democrats coasted into victory late last night, taking control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate by considerable margins. Several states that are traditionally characterized as “deep red,” including Texas, Kansas and Iowa, flipped towards Democrats in the Senate for the first time in decades. Democratic candidates also took a convincing majority in House races, despite competing in several states whose districts were redrawn to favor Republicans.
Across the country, Democratic gubernatorial candidates also burst ahead, winning races in GOP strongholds like Georgia, Ohio and Texas. Heading into 2027, Democrats will officially retake control of Congress and hold at least 28 governorships.
Newly elected Democratic officials, party leaders and pollsters joined Morning Edition on Wednesday morning to share their insights on the massive wave of Democratic victories in state and local races. In their interviews with NPR’s Steve Inskeep and Michel Martin, these Democrats discussed takeaways from the midterm results, the effects of mid-decade redistricting efforts, the mandate received from voters and the next steps for the party. You can read some key takeaways from the discussions below.
Abdul El-Sayed
Democrat Abdul El-Sayed made history in Michigan, becoming the first Muslim elected to the Senate as Democrats retake control of Congress. He said his opponent, Republican Mike Rogers, campaigned weaponizing El-Sayed’s name and faith rather than addressing issues Americans really care about, like Medicare for All and the price of everyday items.
El-Sayed also discussed his opinions on legislation surrounding the war in Iran, and he agreed with Trump’s scheduled end to roughly $4 billion in annual military aid to Israel.
Martin asked him about his lack of support from some Jewish and Black voters, something El Sayed said he hopes to remedy.
“There’s always more work to do. There’s always more to build. There’s always more conversations to have,” he said.
To listen to Abdul El-Sayed’s full Morning Edition interview, click here.
Eric Holder
Eric Holder, chairman of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee and attorney general under former President Obama, discussed how mid-decade redistricting affected the results of the midterm. Speaking with Martin, he said that GOP gerrymandering efforts backfired, causing candidates to lose in districts that were specifically drawn for their success.
“The redistricting efforts that [Republicans] had didn’t just fail — they were dismantled,” Holder says.
To listen to Eric Holder’s full Morning Edition interview, click here.
Stacey Abrams
Democrats in Georgia won seats up and down the ballot, and Stacey Abrams, founder of Fair Fight Action, said the party has been building towards this outcome since 2010. In her interview with Martin, she added that she’s proud of Governor-elect Keisha Lance Bottoms, the first Black woman elected governor in United States history. Abrams campaigned for the same gubernatorial spot in 2018 and again in 2020, though she was never elected to the position.
Abrams said Democratic victories for the governor, attorney general, secretary of state and in the state house “gives us an opportunity to start correcting and restoring rights that we’ve seen lost across the South for more than 20 years.”
To listen to Stacey Abram’s full Morning Edition interview, click here.
Ken Martin
Ken Martin, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said yesterday’s election marks the biggest win for his party in more than a century. Voters gave Democrats a mandate to address affordability, health care and the systems that exclusively benefit wealthy Americans, he explained to Martin and Inskeep, and he thinks newly elected Democrats can deliver.
“Our candidates across the board ran for something, not against something,” he said. “They gave people a sense of a positive vision of what Democrats would do while we’re in power.”
To listen to Ken Martin’s full Morning Edition interview, click here.
Margie Omero
Pollster and Democratic strategist Margie Omero explained why last night’s results are a direct reflection of voter’s distrust of leaders in Washington. She said contested races consistently broke towards Democrats, despite high GOP spending during campaign season.
“Voters really wanted to send a real clear message, and they couldn’t have been any clearer than what we heard last night,” Omero said.
To listen to Margie Omero’s full Morning Edition interview, click here.
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