Expert: Democratic wins buoyed by embracing different types of candidates, economic concerns

BUFFALO, N.Y. – In the first Election Day of President Donald Trump’s second term, the Democratic Party earned several major victories throughout the country. Were these outcomes a rebuke of the current administration, or were there other factors that played into these election triumphs?

Conor Dowling, PhD, professor of political science in the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences, says that the Democrats willingness to support an assortment of candidates and the economy were the two big factors that led to a successful Election Day for their party.

Embracing candidates was a key factor for Democrats

“The wins yesterday by the Democratic Party show that to be successful the party needs to be open to different types of candidates running in different states and locales: more moderate candidates like Abigail Spanberger in Virginia, moderate-to-liberal candidates like Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey and much more progressive candidates like Zohran Mamdani in New York City,” says Dowling. “In each of those places, there was discontent with President Donald Trump and his administration, which undoubtedly buoyed the chances of Democrats — and likely contributed to the unexpectedly large margins that Sherill and Spanberger won by, but it took different types of candidates for Democrats to win in those places. Something Mamdani, Sherrill and Spanberger had in common though, is that each expressed a willingness to stand up to President Trump. This is something that Democratic candidates will likely have to continue to be willing to do in 2026 if they’re to be successful.”

The economy is still a big issue with voters

“Beyond a rebuke of President Trump, the results yesterday also speak to real concerns voters have about the state of the economy and affordability – prices, health care, etc. – more broadly,” says Dowling. “The economy was the most important issue for voters in surveys leading up to the election and in exit polls, and – given that they are the party currently in power at the national level – those concerns did note bode well for Republican candidates yesterday.”