As Republicans in Washington pass a historically damaging budget bill that will hurt millions of Americans, they are losing special elections and the support of voters across the country.
WASHINGTON— From the most competitive battlegrounds to deep red Trump districts, state Democrats have continued to win and overperform in state legislative special elections this year – including this week as Democrats clinched a New York state Senate seat that Trump won by 55 points in November. Republicans are hurting at the ballot box because their unpopular policies are out of step with voters – from their dangerous budget proposal that will gut programs like Medicaid and SNAP to the economic pain caused by Project 2025 and tariffs.
State Democrats are on the frontlines of fighting for working families who are in the line of fire with Republicans’ harmful agenda – the balance of power in state legislatures has never mattered more.
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee President Heather Williams released the following statement:
“As Republicans force their cruel budget proposals through Congress, the momentum Democrats are building in the states should put them on alert that voters are watching. Across the country, state Democrats are winning and overperforming in special elections as voters turn away from MAGA Republicans and put their faith in the state Democrats who are standing up for their communities. We have dozens more special elections ahead, and we’re just getting started.”
Just this year, Democrats have…
- Won a New York Senate seat that Trump won by 55 points in November.
- Pulled off an upset victory in the Iowa Senate, winning a district that Donald Trump carried by 21 points.
- Flipped a seat in the Pennsylvania Senate that Trump won by 15 points.
- Won a majority-making special election in the Pennsylvania House.
- Won two of the first special elections of the year in majority-making races for both chambers in top 2025 battleground state Virginia.
- Won a special election in the ultra-competitive Minnesota House that restored a tie in the chamber
- Defended the liberal majority on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which will protect the fair maps that helped Democrats gain 14 seats in the legislature in 2024.
- Held seats in Maine and Delaware, bolstering Democratic majorities that are crucial to countering the chaos from Washington.
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) is the campaign arm of Democratic state legislatures and leads the national strategy for building power and winning new majorities. Over the last three decades, we have strategized cycle over cycle to win majorities and lead the effort to bring national attention and investment to our ballot level, winning nearly a dozen new chamber majorities over the last decade. Our work has ensured that nearly half of Americans are represented by at least one Democratic majority in their statehouse. State legislatures are the building blocks of our democracy and have the closest connections to Americans’ day-to-day lives. From protecting fundamental freedoms and voting rights to growing the middle class and advancing opportunity, the DLCC and state legislators are moving the Democratic agenda forward and shaping the future of this country.
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