I want to start off by saying that I am absolutely ignorant in the world of political analysis, which clearly makes me qualified to go on TV and offer opinions (right?). But I guess my amazingly perfect take will be limited to this blog. Oh well…
While I was very pleased with most of the outcomes of yesterday’s various elections, I caution myself not to get overly excited about it. There is a long way to go. And let’s be honest, many of yesterday’s victories for the Democrats were already expected, even if the margins were a little surprising.
Where I think we can read into the results a bit more are in these races:
- The Georgia Public Service Commission
- The many state house races in Virginia
- The Supreme Court elections in Pennsylvania (and yes, I am very proud to have spelled Pennsylvania correctly without looking it up)
Let’s start with Georgia. The PSC races were expected to go to the Democratic candidates, but the big margins were what caught my eye. Looking through county results, you see Democratic voter share increasing from 2024 levels of the national and state races. Not exactly apples-to-apples…more like apples-to-pears. But hey, if you like one fruit, you probably like the other, right? (Some of the time I can’t tell if it’s an apple or a pear and I worked in a produce department for years back in the day – when there were less varieties!)
So, that gives me hope for Georgia in 2026, especially with the Senate race. Go Ossoff!
As for Virginia: 13 – count ‘em –13 seats flipped. Democrats now hold 64 out of 100 seats in the House of Delegates. Even with my great political ignorance, that seems like a pretty significant shift. I will, in my blissfully uninformed way, extrapolate these results to the 2026 midterms and get happy about what could happen.
Same vibe in Pennsylvania. The Dems held their 5–2 majority on the state Supreme Court by re-electing 3 justices. That means the court will hold that majority through the 2028 presidential election. I have no idea what specific ruling will hinge on that, but it sure feels important. And I’ll take any good feeling I can get.
Do you ever feel smarter just by admitting you know nothing? Like some kind of reverse psychology magic trick for the brain?
All of this reminds me of the blog mantra: Create an environment that allows success to happen. Even with zero expertise, I’m trying to stay curious, stay engaged, and stay open to learning. Yesterday’s results gave me a little more hope than I had on the evening of November 5, 2024. And if that’s the environment I need to keep moving forward…well…I’ll take it.
Time to go doom-scroll (just a little to satisfy the addiction). Happy Wednesday, everyone. Here’s hoping that November 5, 2026 feels even better.
Quote of the Day:
“Ignorance isn’t bliss – it’s opportunity. Until proven otherwise.”
MattMunnell.com 