On Tuesday night, Democrats and progressives across the country had a lot to celebrate. From coast to coast, they swept the elections, winning key races and flipping control of the House of Representatives. It was a resounding victory for the blue wave that has been building since the 2016 presidential election.
But as the confetti settles and the champagne glasses are put away, the question on everyone’s mind is: now what? What lessons can we learn from this historic night and how can we use them to prepare for the upcoming midterm elections?
Maurice Mitchell, national director of the Working Families Party, and Amanda Litman, co-founder of Run for Something, sat down to discuss just that in a recent interview with The Intercept. Both organizations played a crucial role in mobilizing and supporting progressive candidates in this year’s elections.
Mitchell and Litman both agreed that the key takeaway from Tuesday night is the power of grassroots organizing and the importance of investing in local races. “We saw that when we invest in local races, we can win big,” said Litman. “We need to continue to build a bench of progressive candidates at all levels of government.”
Mitchell echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the need for a long-term strategy. “We can’t just focus on the presidential election every four years,” he said. “We need to build a strong foundation at the local level and work our way up.”
One of the most notable victories of the night was the election of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a 29-year-old democratic socialist, to Congress. Ocasio-Cortez’s win sent shockwaves through the political establishment and served as a reminder that bold, progressive ideas can resonate with voters.
Litman believes that Ocasio-Cortez’s win is a sign of a changing tide in American politics. “We’re seeing a shift in what voters are looking for in their candidates,” she said. “They want someone who is authentic, who speaks to their values and who is unafraid to challenge the status quo.”
But while the victories on Tuesday night were certainly cause for celebration, both Mitchell and Litman stressed the importance of not becoming complacent. “We can’t rest on our laurels,” said Mitchell. “We need to keep pushing forward and continue to engage with voters.”
Litman added that the work is far from over. “We need to keep organizing, keep mobilizing, and keep building a diverse coalition of voters,” she said. “We can’t afford to take our foot off the gas.”
As the focus now shifts to the upcoming midterm elections, Mitchell and Litman emphasized the need for unity within the progressive movement. “We need to come together and support each other’s candidates,” said Mitchell. “We may not always agree on every issue, but we need to remember that we are all working towards the same goal.”
Litman also stressed the importance of reaching out to communities that have been historically marginalized and underrepresented. “We need to make sure that our message is reaching everyone, especially those who have been left behind by the political system,” she said.
In the end, the message from Mitchell and Litman is clear: the victories on Tuesday night were just the beginning. There is still a lot of work to be done, and it will take a united effort to continue the momentum and bring about real change in our government.
So let’s take the lessons from Tuesday night and use them to fuel our passion and determination for the upcoming midterm elections. Let’s continue to build a movement that represents the values and needs of all Americans. And most importantly, let’s remember that our power lies in our ability to come together and make our voices heard. The blue wave is just getting started.
