We’ve been hurtling toward the 2025 elections since Donald Trump took the oath of office. And after all the lies, disinformation and bogus polls, voters had their say on Tuesday. 

In state after state, they chose Democrats over Republicans and democracy over authoritarianism. There is no single statistic that captures the breadth and scope of the electoral sweep — but one message is clear: voters rejected Donald Trump and the sycophantic Republican Party.

Each candidate will claim their victory was the result of their own unique attributes and message. While I would never deprive them of that, victories of this magnitude are rarely the product of local dynamics or the talents of individual candidates. Waves are produced by larger forces that sweep aside the individual in favor of the universal.

In this case, that universal force was a repudiation of Republican governance over the past year. For some voters, that rejection was driven by rising costs. For others, it stemmed from the erosion of democracy. For most, it was some combination of both.

In 35 years of representing campaigns, I have learned that voters are complex. They may simultaneously support abortion rights yet call themselves pro-life. They can confound partisans by favoring issues advocated by one party while supporting candidates from the other.

But wave elections tend to be about something bigger than any one set of issues. They usually reflect a deeper sense of unease that cuts across regions, income levels and race.

On Tuesday, I believe that unease was summed up by two words: No Kings.

I am convinced that Tuesday’s results were made possible by a growing consensus that Donald Trump seeks to rule over the American public, not serve them. The arrogance of his administration — embodied in its cruelty and bravado — is an affront to the American ethos. Republicans’ unwillingness to stand up to him bred contempt for their weakness and reinforced the sense that Trump wants to be treated as a dictator.

I am aware of the exit polls showing that most voters listed affordability as their top issue. I have no doubt that people prioritize their personal economic situations. However, I don’t believe that explains the high turnout or the consistent swing against Republicans.

If the economy and costs were the sole drivers of this election, we would expect a greater effect in lower-income areas, where affordability pressures are most acute. Yet, some of the highest turnout and strongest Democratic performances came from counties and neighborhoods with the highest incomes.

It’s also notable that just weeks ago, a record number of Americans from all walks of life and every corner of the country participated in No Kings rallies. It stands to reason that a movement capable of mobilizing such impressive numbers to protest would similarly motivate supporters to vote on the same set of principles.

Most importantly, the economy, tariffs and inflation cannot explain the results of California’s redistricting measure, the failure of a voter ID initiative in Maine, or the judicial retention elections in Pennsylvania. In each case, the outcomes were landslide victories for the pro-democracy side and a stark rebuke of Republican efforts to undermine free and fair elections.

The ballot measures are especially noteworthy given the popularity of their underlying issues. For years, we’ve been told that nonpartisan redistricting is broadly popular with voters. Likewise, Republicans and much of the legacy media have insisted that voter ID is a popular voting restriction.

Yet, Proposition 50 in California prevailed by a 27-point margin, and the Republican-backed voter ID measure in Maine was defeated by nearly 30 points.

Then there’s the case of the Virginia state legislative elections. Shortly before Election Day, Virginia’s legislative leaders announced plans to redistrict the congressional map to offset Republican gerrymandering elsewhere. Doing so requires the measure to pass in two separate legislative sessions — meaning it could be aided or blocked by the newly elected state House. On Tuesday, Democrats flipped an unprecedented 13 House seats, extending their majority to 64 of 100 seats.

These outcomes align with polling leading up to Election Day.

On Sunday, NBC News released a poll showing that the most important issue for voters deciding control of Congress was “protecting constitutional rights/protecting democracy.” A CNN poll released around the same time found it to be the second most important issue — after the economy and cost of living — but far ahead of crime, immigration and healthcare.

As I said above, voters are complex. Their motivations are often a mix of issues, current events and cultural influences. I have no doubt that costs and affordability were top of mind for many. But the American people aren’t blind to the moment that we’re living in, and I am certain that preventing authoritarianism and preserving democracy were powerful motivating forces that fueled the wave we witnessed.

Let’s harness that energy and build on it for 2026.

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