Last week’s election proved to be the giant “blue wave” the Democrats had hoped (and planned) for. Democrats won in states and in offices up and down the ballot, creating a series of historic wins for the party and demographic groups across the nation.
Wins in the south boosted the Dems, furthering the power and strength of Black voters and organizing efforts that had been in the works well before the 2026 elections. As Democrats continue to celebrate their overwhelming wins, I am cautiously optimistic about what happens next.
I definitely don’t want to throw cold water on the parade, but there are a few things I am keeping in the forefront of my mind. Just as in 2008, far too many pundits and journalists are quick to claim a post-racial America since many of the candidates won without publicizing the racial, ethnic, and gender significance of their historic wins. That is, the two incoming Latino governors in Texas and California, and the host of incoming Black governors in Georgia, Nevada, Wisconsin, Maryland, and even Florida did not lean into their identity as a motivating and organizing factor in their campaign strategy.
Just because these candidates, by and large, focused on affordability and economic issues does not mean that identity, and race more specifically, are no longer relevant.
I am also keenly aware that far too many Americans are happy to ignore the racism, xenophobia, anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim ,and antisemitic agenda coming from this administration. It was not until their own gas and grocery prices increased that they rejected the Republican party and candidates hand-selected by Donald Trump. This concerning behavior shows that draconian and oppressive behavior is fine with many people as long as the price of the things they want and need remains low.
The wins last week were decisive, but the hard work begins once everyone is sworn into their respective offices in January. I remain concerned about the leadership of the Democratic party in Washington, D.C.
Both Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, and Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, are the presumed incoming leaders in both chambers of Congress. Both hail from Brooklyn, and the lack of geographic and ideological diversity between the two men makes me wonder if the diversity in the Democratic party will be best represented.
There are millions of voters who fear these two men are not prepared to lead in this moment; however, their opinions will not decide the fate of these two men — the votes from their colleagues will. The voters will not select Schumer or Jeffries for these leadership roles; they will be chosen by their peers.
What we do know is this past election showed that Americans are ready for a new chapter, as unknown as it may be.
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is a professor at Fordham University; author of “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the American Dream” and “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams”; visiting scholar at Brooklyn Org; and co-host of the FAQ-NYC podcast.
