Ten years ago this week, on Nov. 8, we gathered with friends and neighbors in Glenford to watch the presidential election returns. We were almost certain we’d witness the election of America’s first woman president, Hillary Clinton.
Instead, Donald Trump won the presidency. Over the past decade, he has reshaped the Republican Party and forced most Republican officeholders to cave to his whims, while Americans have been getting crushed by higher prices at the gas pump and in the grocery store. His reign of terror has dominated our national life, deepened divisions, and tested the institutions meant to hold presidents accountable.
On Tuesday, voters delivered a powerful rebuke.
The Democratic wave reflected frustration with the cost of living, concern about corruption, and exhaustion with a president who too often treats public office as an instrument of personal power.
But Democrats should be careful about what they claim.
I see these results primarily as a rejection of the MAGA Republican Party built by Donald Trump. Democrats have been given an opportunity to govern and an obligation to produce results. They’ll have to earn the public’s confidence by what they do next.
Tuesday also offered a hopeful picture of the types of people who can lead this country.
Michigan chose Abdul El-Sayed, the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Senate. New Hampshire voters picked Chris Pappas, the first openly gay man elected to the Senate. Scott Colom was leading in Mississippi’s Senate race, which was still too close to call. If elected, he would be the state’s first Black senator since Reconstruction.
Georgia’s Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor in American history. New Mexico’s Deb Haaland became the first Native American woman elected governor. Amy Acton became the first woman elected governor of Ohio.
Gina Hinojosa became the first Latina elected governor of Texas, while Xavier Becerra became California’s first elected Latino governor. Wisconsin elected its first Black governor, David Crowley. Florida reached that same milestone with Republican Byron Donalds.
These victories matter beyond party affiliation. They widen the picture of who belongs in positions of authority and who can imagine themselves serving there.
For those of us who have worried about the resilience of American democracy, Tuesday offered reassurance. Voters exercised their power to change the country’s direction.
Yet an election cannot, by itself, repair everything that brought us to this point.
In his victory speech, Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff acknowledged the continuing crisis facing the republic and reminded supporters that “our most vital work lies ahead.”
That work begins with listening to what voters actually said.
The Associated Press Voter Poll found about four in 10 voters identified the economy as the country’s most important issue, with about three in 10 naming the state of democracy. About seven in 10 said Congress was doing too little to provide checks and balances on the presidency, including about four in 10 Republicans.
Those concerns belong together. Americans want government to help them afford their lives, and they want confidence that the people running it are accountable.
The 120th Congress, taking office in January, should treat both responsibilities seriously.
That means addressing the costs families confront every day: groceries, housing, health care, and energy. It means scrutinizing the consequences of administration policies and pursuing credible allegations of corruption wherever the evidence leads.
Oversight should establish facts and protect the public interest. Legislation should offer practical help that people can recognize in their household budgets.
I want more bipartisanship where agreement can produce progress. I also want lawmakers willing to stand their ground when constitutional principles and basic fairness are at stake. Civility should make honest disagreement possible, while leaving room for firm opposition to abuses of power.
Democrats should remember how quickly political fortunes can change. A wave election can sweep a party into office without guaranteeing that voters will keep it there. From the Catskills to California, people will judge their representatives by whether life improves and government works.
There’s also work for the rest of us.
Here in Ulster and Greene counties, participation cannot end when the campaign signs come down. Our town boards, school boards, and community institutions need residents who show up, ask questions, and stay involved.
Some will decide to run for office themselves. Others will volunteer, organize, follow local reporting in The Overlook, or simply attend a meeting they once skipped.
That everyday engagement gives democracy its staying power. It also reminds elected officials that the people who put them in office are paying attention.
Ten years after that evening in Glenford, I feel a renewed sense of possibility. But hope carries responsibilities.
Voters have changed who holds power. Now those elected must show what they’ll do with it; the rest of us must remain engaged enough to hold them to their promises.
Let’s keep working to make America work for everyone.
Scott Widmeyer is the board president and co-founder of The Overlook. Reach him at scott@theoverlooknews.com.
