On the first election day since Donald Trump’s victory last year, voters across the nation made their message clear, and it sounded something like YG and Nipsey Hustle “FDT.” Democrats won big in elections on every level, with key victories in both governor races that were on the line: New Jersey went for Democrat Phil Murphy, while Virginia saw Democrat Ralph Northam beat Republican Ed Gillespie by a commanding ten points. Gillespie’s loss was the night’s most explicit rebuke of Trumpism, featuring a candidate who campaigned on anti-immigrant, racially exploitative, and pro-Confederate messaging which amounted to watered-down Trumpism. The President even Tweeted in his support before the election. (Afterward, Trump was quick to change course and distance himself from the loser.)
The night also featured historic wins for women and minorities nationwide. A partial and quick hitlist of firsts:
Vi Lyles became North Carolina’s first African-American female mayor, in Charlotte. Yvonne Spicer, an African-American woman, became the first first mayor of the new(!) city of Framingham, Massachusetts. Joyce Craig was elected the first woman of New Hampshire’s largest city of Manchester. Ravinder Bhalla became New Jersey’s first Sikh mayor in Hoboken. Wilmot Collins, a Libyan refugee who arrived in Montana 23 years ago, became the first black mayor in that state’s history. Melvin Carter became the first black mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota. Brendon Barber became the first black mayor of Georgetown, South Carolina. Mary Parham Copelan became Milledgeville, Georgia’s, first female African-American mayor. 27-year-old Booker Gainor become Cairo, Georgia’sd first African-American mayor. Danica Roem became the first openly transgender person in a U.S. state house, beating a person who sponsored one of the infamous anti-trans “bathroom bills.” Minneapolis elected its [first openly trans women of color] to city council of a major city (https://twitter.com/womensmarch/status/928089845712457729) with Andrea Jenkins. Jenny Durkan became Seattle’s first lesbian mayor. Cathy Murillo became the first Latina mayor of Santa Barbara, California. Lisa Middleton became the first openly transgender person to be elected to a non-judicial office in California.
And that isn’t counting city council slots, educational councils, and all sorts of local offices, where there were even more historic victories for minorities of all stripes. Clearly, the base of voters who rejected Trump at the polls last year were mobilized yesterday.
Next year all 435 seats of the House are up for reelection, and these results have sent a shiver up the GOP’s collective spine. Trumpism doesn’t seem to be working for anyone other than Trump, and even then, maybe not so well for him: The President’s latest approval ratings are in the low-to-mid 30s, which is an historic low. Of course, the Democrats have problems of their own, best framed by former DNC chariwoman Donna Brazile’s recently published memoir, which has made explosive allegations seemingly confirming the conspiritorial collusion behind closed doors in favor of Hillary, long suspected by Bernie Sanders supporters, and long eroding the base’s trust in the party itself.
Still this is a sign that next year’s midterm elections, when Congress is on the line, will be a challenge for the GOP.
There are 363 days until next year’s election. Each day counts. Watch closely. REVOLT 2 Vote.