"Some progressives wanted, as they have for many years, a "populist" economic message that bashed "oligarchs," heartless corporations, and global elites. Some centrists wanted to begin the comeback by jettisoning "woke" cultural stances and paying much more attention to moderate-minded median voters. Everyone acknowledged that Joe Biden and then Kamala Harris had failed to fully comprehend the damage that persistent inflation was doing to voter perceptions of their competence and compassion."
"But a big breakthrough occurred on November 5, 2025, when centrist gubernatorial candidates in New Jersey and Virginia and one notable progressive mayoral candidate in New York all won smashing victories by focusing on the rising living costs that belied Trump's 2024 promises that he would bring back pre-pandemic prices on virtually everything. It wasn't working just in blue states and cities, either. In Georgia on that same day Democrats beat two incumbent Republican state public-service commissioners by holding them accountable for rising power bills."
Democrats searched for a winning message after 2024 losses, confronting sharp divisions between progressive populists and centrists focused on moderate voters. Persistent inflation eroded perceptions of Biden and Harris and intensified voter concerns about competence and compassion. Centrist proponents of an "abundance" agenda and progressives attacking billionaire power found common ground on policies to ease household budgets. A breakthrough occurred on November 5, 2025, when gubernatorial and mayoral candidates won by emphasizing rising living costs. Democrats also beat Republican public-service commissioners in Georgia and a left-leaning candidate over-performed in a Tennessee special election using an affordability message.
Read at Intelligencer
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