How should we view the results of the 2026 U.S. midterm elections? What do these results mean for the Democratic and Republican parties?

This ad quickly triggered strong backlash from both the Republican and Democratic parties—even Mike DeWine, Ohio’s Republican governor, publicly condemned it as 'deeply disturbing and wrong' and called for its removal. Numerous former Ohio governors, many Republicans, and Democrats alike criticized Ramaswamy’s campaign team, calling the ad despicable and nauseating. Yet Trump and Vance openly supported it, claiming it was a powerful and truthful exposure of the 'real Amy Acton.' Polling, however, showed severe backlash: surveys by Suffolk University and others found that among voters who saw the ad, far more shifted support *to* Acton than to Ramaswamy. Acton surged ahead in multiple polls; institutions including Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball revised their race assessment from 'toss-up' to 'leaning Democratic.' Ramaswamy refused to apologize, insisting the ad had nothing to do with childhood abuse but merely exposed his opponent’s lies. By late October, he confirmed TV airings had ended and shifted to other ads—spending far less than the planned $4 million. In the Ohio gubernatorial election, Amy Acton defeated Ramaswamy to become Ohio’s next governor, winning 52% to 44%—an 8-point margin. So this is the moral character of Trump’s inner circle; this is the person Trump chose; this is the person Trump backed. And recall how Chinese-language media once lavishly praised Vance—don’t you find that laughable? In fact, the Democrats did virtually nothing during this midterm cycle—leaving Trump to flail unchecked while waiting for voters to vent their frustrations. As noted above, even a Democrat hiding under a rock would have received votes today. After their devastating loss two years earlier, the party collapsed into disarray—producing endless introspection but zero actionable policy proposals, and failing to field any charismatic figure capable of unifying the party. Thus, Democrats remained largely passive—relying entirely on local Democratic efforts and voter anger to stage a comeback. AOC, one of the Democratic Party’s so-called 'Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse,' declared after the 2020 election that it was time to individually identify, file dossiers on, and ensure unemployment and joblessness for all MAGA supporters. She uttered such words *before even entering the White House*—so who knows what shocking statements the Democrats might unleash after another historic victory? Meanwhile, internal Democratic infighting intensifies, with fierce debates over strategic direction. New York City Mayor Mamdani represents the progressive wing, arguing the party must break from its old establishment path and re-engage the working class through clear economic redistribution and grassroots mobilization. In contrast, moderate Democrat James Talarico contends that the political leanings of NYC’s Democratic primary voters cannot represent those in competitive states like Texas or Kansas. The Democrats may win the 2026 midterms using *both* approaches—but they are unlikely to unify these two factions into a cohesive congressional majority with shared policy goals by 2027. That is where the party’s internal contradictions will head next. There is a fundamental difference between the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential election: the Democrats need a charismatic, unifying figure to hold the party together.

How should we view 34-year-old Mamdani becoming New York City’s first millennial mayor? Trump has repeatedly attacked him—what impact might his election bring?

Incidentally, after the American democratic socialist warrior—Pakistani-Indian Muslim Mamdani—won the New York City mayoral election, his first meeting was with America’s leading democratic socialist figure: Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC), a Puerto Rican–Taíno Indigenous–Sephardic Jewish multiracial left-wing Catholic leader. Congratulations to both on their victorious rendezvous and strategic consultation! We hope they run jointly—and ride this wave all the way to the White House in 2028! If the Democrats nominate AOC for president in 2028—with Mamdani as her vice-presidential running mate—I will, after twelve years, be compelled to support the Democratic Party once again. Because this would undoubtedly be the most politically correct, most identity-rich, most inclusive, most culturally diverse, and simultaneously youngest and most vibrant ticket in U.S. history! The first Catholic woman president + the first Muslim vice president—both minority ethnic democratic socialists ('democratic socialism' being heretical relative to scientific socialism)—just thinking about it is thrilling! By the way, during the last district-level People’s Congress representative election, five candidates ran in our school’s electoral district: one from the Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang (RCCK), and four from the CCP. Yet the RCCK teacher won by the highest vote count. Of course, this may well have been due to her appearing first on the ballot. Similarly, on New York State’s ballot, Mamdani appeared first, Republican Sliwa fifth, and Cuomo eighth. Indeed, when voters are unfamiliar with candidates and vote randomly, those listed earlier invariably enjoy an advantage. Originally, New York’s mayoral race was a three-way contest—meaning Trump stood to gain regardless of the outcome. Yet at the last minute, he chose to abandon his own party’s candidate and cross party lines to back Cuomo. Even so, Republican defections proved insufficient—the votes simply weren’t there! Ideally, Republican Sliwa would have won—though he was essentially a placeholder candidate. But that was pure fantasy. A Cuomo victory was also acceptable: at least he wasn’t 'red-green' (a fusion of radical leftist and environmentalist politics). New York City has long been a Democratic stronghold—even Reagan couldn’t overcome the city’s massive Democratic advantage without relying on other parts of New York State. The worst-case scenario was Mamdani’s victory. His policy package is bound to throw New York City into chaos—and, of course, that would make his showdown with Trump all the more compelling. Mamdani is currently 34 years old, a Muslim, a Democratic state legislator, born in Uganda, and immigrated to New York with his family at age seven. His parents are of Indian and Pakistani descent; his wife is of Syrian origin. In 2018, Mamdani officially became a naturalized U.S. citizen. He is a Twelver Shia Muslim.

Mamdani and Hochul promise a new day for Puerto Rico after Democrats sweep midterms

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NYC officials pledged support for Puerto Rico following Democratic midterm wins, addressing chronic crises. Meanwhile, the U.S. Energy Department canceled $1 billion in solar and battery storage grants, sparking lawsuits over grid stability and essential healthcare access.

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Mamdani and Hochul promise a new day for Puerto Rico after Democrats sweep midterms

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