Andy Kim New Jersey

Democratic Party Positives In 2024 Elections

The Presidential and Congressional Elections of 2024 produced some significant positives for the Democratic Party, despite Donald Trump’s close victory for the Presidency, and gaining of 53 seats in the US Senate and about the same tiny margin in the US House of Representatives that the Republicans already had.

Trump’s margin of victory was smaller than that of Joe Biden or Barack Obama, and Trump’s victory was less impressive than any election since the late 19th century Gilded Age. He was NOT anywhere near the landslides of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936, Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, Richard Nixon in 1972 or Ronald Reagan in 1984, but Trump is trying to claim otherwise.

Also, each of these landslide victories led to a loss of seats in the following midterm elections for the President’s party, so there is hope for the future of the Democratic Party in 2026 and 2028.

Also, Democrats were able to retain control of Senate seats in four “swing” states that Trump won–Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, and Wisconsin, while losing the Senate seat in Pennsylvania.

North Carolina, despite going to Trump, elected an entire Democratic state government team, including Josh Stein, who is Jewish, as Governor.

Also, Matt Meyer, who is Jewish, was elected Governor of Delaware.

And despite attacks by Republicans on “diversity”, the Democrats were able to win or hold Senate seats with other than white straight Christians, as witness the following:

Arizona–Ruben Gallego–Hispanic male–elected to open Senate seat

Nevada–Jacky Rosen, Jewish female, reelected

Michigan–Elissa Slotkin, Jewish female, elected to open Senate seat

California–Adam Schiff, Jewish male, elected to open Senate seat

Wisconsin–Tammy Baldwin, Lesbian, reelected

New Jersey–Andy Kim–Korean American male–elected to open Senate seat

Delaware–Lisa Blunt Rochester–African American female–elected to open Senate seat

Maryland–Angela Alsobrooks–African American female–elected to open Senate seat

Bright Moments For Democrats In Election Results

At a time of so much feeling of disappointment and concern about the election results of 2024 for the Democratic Party, there are bright moments to applaud.

Josh Stein became the first Jewish Governor of North Carolina.

Angela Alsobrooks in Maryland and Lisa Blunt Rochester in Delaware became the first combination of African American women elected to the US Senate, and only the fourth and fifth such women in American history. They also became only the 13th and 14th African American Senators, including nine men.

Two new Jewish American Senators were elected, including Adam Schiff of California and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan; and the first Korean American Senator, Andy Kim, was elected in New Jersey.

A Major Turnover In 119th Congress To Occur!

A major turnover is coming in the 119th Congress, which will meet from January 2025-January 2027.

Already, eight Senators and 43 House members are not running for reelection, and turnover by defeat is likely in many other cases.

Among the US Senators who are retiring are the following:

Mitt Romney of Utah
Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona
Joe Manchin of West Virginia
Ben Cardin of Maryland
Debbie Stabenow of Michigan
Tom Carper of Delaware

At least 11 Democrats and 14 Republicans are leaving the House of Representatives.

Additionally, a few well known individuals ran for the Senate and have been eliminated, specifically Katie Porter and Barbara Lee in California, while Adam Schiff is on the way to likely Senate membership after ending up first in the California Senate primary.

Dean Phillips of Minnesota chose to challenge Joe Biden in a lost cause, and is leaving the House as a result.

Elissa Slotkin in Michigan; Alex Mooney in West Virginia; Colin Allred in Texas; Andy Kim in New Jersey; and Ruben Gallego in Arizona are among those leaving the House of Representatives to run for the US Senate seats in their states.

A lot more turnover is likely, as many other incumbents face the possibility of defeat this November.