Did Democrats Really Win the November Election?

Commentary by J.P. Jefferson @ “J.P. McJefferson Thoughts,” Substack

In response and adding to “Thoughts on the election and the state of politics,” Eric Kramer

Democrats just supposedly had a huge victory on November 4, 2025, but are we any closer as a country to making the critical decisions that must be made? Or are we any closer to providing a political system the American public wants. The people have been saying for a long time that they want the two parties to work together and solve problems. 

Unfortunately, the answer to both is a resounding “No.” We are no closer to addressing the economy, voting rights, immigration, civil rights, climate change, artificial intelligence, Ukraine, healthcare, social security, abortion, guns, and the myriad of other major issues. And, many Democratic leaders and political pundits are claiming the Democrats achieved an overwhelming victory. A victory that will likely guarantee a House takeover in 2026, and a perpetuation of at least three more years of Congressional and governmental gridlock, hate, and dysfunction. Meanwhile, the issues that must be addressed and the public demand will remain unmet. 

In a recent fundraising letter, Kamala Harris said after the November Democratic nationwide voting victory, “We must harness that power to come up with a blueprint for our government that truly works for the American people. We must continue speaking out and listening when the people say, ‘This is how I want my government to work for me.”‘ I couldn’t agree more. But, I would emphasize that we must really listen, we must listen closely and carefully. 

Was the recent election turnout really a Democratic victory? We can’t simply immediately dismiss the fact that recent polls show low public support for both parties, with most indicating slightly more support for the Republican Party. Additionally, recent polls also show approximately 50% of the voting public claims to be Independent — not Democratic or Republican. Additionally, what about Zohran Mamdani’s big win in New York City? That doesn’t signal strong support for the Democratic Party.

I think we must listen carefully and realize that the people are voicing their strong disapproval of the current political environment, not necessarily support for Democrats. With the recent voter turnout, combined with the massive No Kings protest, the public is screaming that they want a change from the craziness of the past several decades, with back-and-forth political momentum that has led to mass polarization, a continuous failure to address and solve the country’s problems, and an ultimate threat to democracy itself. 

We must listen carefully. The election did not eliminate Republicans. And, it will not eliminate Republicans if Democrats win the House in the 2026 midterms. We will still have two distinct parties, with differing points of view, and an abundance of difficult problems to solve. If Democrats win the 2026 midterms and we continue the same “we win, you lose” philosophy of governing, we will be no closer to meeting the public demands and solving our many critical issues of our time.

So how do we harness the people power and create the blueprint for government that Harris called for? If we look objectively toward the future, and want to carry “the great experiment” beyond its 250-year watermark, we must find a way. Otherwise, our inability to make decisions and solve problems will simply overwhelm us. We currently have a preview of that reality, as we just experienced the longest government shutdown in history, are failing to meet the most basic needs of the public, and have no ability to address the critical issues that await us. Congress has not even passed its spending bills since 1997.  

We must find a way to reconnect the power of the public in a positive way to the political decision-making process. Certainty, we must stop the malicious attempts to disrupt, limit, and distort the normal voting rights of the public. But we need to do much more. We need to find a way to “harness the power” of the public to force the unwilling politicians to work together, act respectfully, and solve problems. The public must be able to hold them accountable, monitor their activities, and weigh in on decisions. (See: A Revolution In Congressional Decision Making)