Tuesday was a big night for Democrats, as they won governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey, along with the New York City mayor’s race.
But the biggest prize was in California, according to political science professor Terry Smith, at Columbia College in central Missouri. He told Missourinet that the passage of Prop 50 in California could help Democrats regain control of the U.S. House in 2026.
“California voted to redistrict and to essentially effectively add five Democratic seats to its delegation, which neutralizes what Texas did,” Smith said.
Meanwhile, several other states – including Missouri – are redrawing their congressional maps with only one or two districts being targeted.
Tuesday’s victories does not necessarily mean that the Democratic Party has regained national momentum, according to Smith.
“The Democrats can take a victory lap,” he said. “And then they need to cool down and get back to work immediately because this does not solve any of their problems.”
Those problems being messaging and imaging, according to Smith. He also said the Democrats’ wins Tuesday night were mostly in blue states. But he suggested the ongoing federal government shutdown may have played a role.
“You know the shutdown is sort of moving away from Republicans in the sense that it’s beginning – the polls are beginning to say that that, you know, the blame is not equal,” Smith said.
He also suggested that Democrats will become more resolute in not voting to reopen the government unless Republicans agree to increase healthcare spending and approve Affordable Care Act tax credits.
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