Savor These Wins: These Results Are No Flukes
By Jo-Ann Johnston
Results from the off-cycle elections concluded Nov. 5 in states and communities all across the country have exceeded even what we at Project 2029 hoped.
The once unlikely candidate Zohran Mamdani, age 34, was elected mayor of New York City by focusing on voters’ economic pain over housing, child care, food and transportation. Younger voters especially turned out for Mamdani, who will be New York’s first Muslim mayor.
What didn’t matter was the list of billionaires that endorsed rival Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent. Or that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is also from New York, refused to endorse Mamdani. Mamdani ran on the Democratic line even though he’s actually democratic socialist, so Schumer’s silence was an intra-party snub.
Voters in New Jersey elected the former Navy helicopter pilot, federal prosecutor and mother Mikie Sherill governor. She also ran on pledges of affordability – and her formidable record of public service. Another factor is worth noting: CNN exit polling showed that a significant percentage of Latino voters, 68%, favored Sherrill over Republican candidate, Jack Ciattatrelli, who took 31% of the Latino vote. You have to wonder if Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids on large New Jersey workplaces help account for that.
Virginians, who probably suffer the ills of the federal government shutdown and mass job layoffs as much as any state’s residents, decided to make Abigail Spanberger governor after she campaigned on building unity as well as solving economic problems such as housing costs to healthcare bills. The voters also gave their new Democratic governor-elect a wider majority of Democrats in the General Assembly, which should make it easier for her to carry out her plans.
It’s not that our vision for a pluralistic democracy automatically demands that we listen only to, or celebrate only Democratic party candidates. We are listening for candidates with policies that will help humans thrive in freedom, peace, and prosperity. Candidates who will help democracy flourish in an inclusive and stable society.
Tuesday’s results show plenty of voters out there who think similarly.
If that were not the case, we would not have those head-turning outcomes in Georgia and Maine. In case you missed it, voters in the Peach State, who were tired of a statewide utility commission consistently approving rate hikes, voted out two incumbents from the commission board.
In Maine, voters declined to impose on themselves a photo ID requirement in order to vote, as well as new restrictions on using absentee ballots.
So many varied stories from all over on Tuesday show us that people are willing to come out and defend and improve our system. We’ll take the win. Tell us what inspired you, so we can share the momentum. Email hopeisproject2029.me with “my election reaction” in the subject field.