As the political theater continues to unfold across the nation, it’s hard not to wonder if some politicians might have misplaced their scripts. Michael DeRosa recently joined a news segment just in time for Halloween and had quite a spooky forecast for the Democratic Party. With unknowable election outcomes looming in New Jersey, Virginia, and California, he suggested that the Democratic narrative might soon need a rewrite. Could there be just a touch of foreshadowing here?
It seems almost unimaginable that we’re discussing races in New Jersey and Virginia as competitive when they are traditionally solid Democratic bastions. Yet here we are. The fact that these contests are even on the radar sends a chill down the spines of Democrats. For any party hoping to command confidence going into the midterms, staring at a potentially tight race in historically safe territories must feel like finding a trick instead of a treat in their Halloween basket.
DeRosa highlighted a historical reminder: Glenn Youngkin’s win in Virginia a few years back. The Democrats’ confidence remains seemingly unshaken, but it wasn’t that long ago that Jack Ciattarelli gave Phil Murphy a horrifyingly close call in New Jersey. If Ciattarelli were to pull off a surprise win now, it would certainly set off a five-alarm fire for Democrats. And wouldn’t that be something to watch? DeRosa, with a laugh, promised to return to dissect the aftermath if the Democrats managed to stumble.
This election could serve as a harbinger of what’s to come. With both sides anxious and eagerly analyzing these off-year elections, Democrats should be seeing these races as more than just a flicker of concern. Especially with a Republican sitting comfortably in the White House, political norms suggest midterms could swing against the party in the driver’s seat—a narrative some Democrats might wish would just stay buried.
Finally, there’s the tangled mess of government funding, a political stalemate that only adds to the Democratic Party’s burdens. The Democrats, using health care as leverage to keep the government funded, faces a classic Congressional quagmire. As Republicans push through a clean government funding bill, Democrats’ minority in the Senate complicates things further. If their attempts to keep the lights on falter and food stamps run out, it may make a hauntingly good case against them.
In the grand political masquerade, the Democrats are indeed grappling with a mix of real challenges and potential ghosts of elections past. With Republicans gleefully watching for any misplaced steps, the next few weeks promise more twists and perhaps some unmaskings. Whether Democrats can turn the tide or will find themselves in a darker sequel remains to be seen. For now, the show goes on, and all bets are off.
