Democrats Are Overperforming Everywhere
Democrats have won or overperformed the top of the 2024 ticket in 43 out of 44 key elections so far this year.
Happy Wednesday, Democrats!
In August, Democrat Catelin Drey clinched a huge victory in the Iowa Senate District 1 race, breaking the Republican supermajority in the Iowa state Senate. Drey’s win — in a traditionally red district that went for Donald Trump by 11 points in 2024 — marks the third major Democratic overperformance in Iowa in districts that Trump won by at least 10%.
These results underscore a growing trend we’ve been seeing all year: No matter if they’re in blue, red, or purple communities, voters are pushing back against Republicans’ agenda by supporting Democrats.
Let’s be clear: This is not exclusive to Iowa. Across the country, voters — even those in the rubiest of red districts — are delivering a loud and clear rebuke of Trump and Republicans, who betrayed working families with their budget that lines the pockets of billionaires by ripping away Americans’ health care. Voters are putting their faith in strong Democratic leaders who will tackle Republicans’ extreme agenda head-on, fight for working families, and drive our nation forward. That’s why Democrats have won or overperformed the top of the 2024 ticket in 43 out of 44 key elections so far this year.
Take a look at the contrast: While Republicans face jeers and boos among plummeting approval ratings, Democrats are beating the odds, overperforming nationwide, and winning special elections back-to-back. With each victory and overperformance, Democrats’ momentum grows stronger, allowing us to build back our power and answer voters’ demand for change. Democrats will continue to organize and mobilize at the grassroots level to connect with voters, build lasting coalitions, and secure electoral victories until there are strong Democratic leaders in every community.
Below is a list of some of Democrats’ major overperformances from this year:
Connecticut
In Connecticut’s House District 40 special election, Democrat Dan Gaiewski overperformed the top of the November ticket by 16 points.
Delaware
In Delaware’s Senate District 1 special election, Democrat Dan Cruce overperformed the top of the November ticket by 10 points.
Florida
In Florida’s 1st Congressional District, Democrat Gay Valimont overperformed by 23 points in a Trump +37 district, marking Democrats’ best performance in the district this century and flipping Pensacola for the first time in decades.
In Florida’s 6th Congressional District, Democrat Josh Weil secured a massive 16-point overperformance in a Trump +30 district.
Iowa
In Iowa’s Senate District 35 special election, Democrat Mike Zimmer flipped a district Trump won by 21 points, overperforming the top of the November ticket by 25 points.
In Iowa’s House District 100 special election, Democrat Nannette Griffin overperformed the top of the November ticket by 24 points.
Maine
In Maine’s House District 24 special election, Democrat Sean Faircloth overperformed the top of the November ticket by 18 points.
Minnesota
In Minnesota’s Senate District 60 special election, Democratic–Farmer–Labor candidate Doron Clark won the election by a margin of 91-9, overperforming the top of the November ticket by 14 points.
Nebraska
John Ewing Jr. clinched a victory in the Omaha Mayoral race, unseating the longest-serving Republican-aligned incumbent mayor in the country by an overwhelming majority.
Pennsylvania
Dan Goughnour secured the Pennsylvania House majority for Democrats, winning in House District 35 by nearly 30 points, a 13-point overperformance.
Democrat James Malone claimed an upset victory in R+23 state Senate District 36 in Lancaster County — a district that hasn’t had a Democrat representing it since 1979, and a Democratic president hadn’t won Lancaster County since Lyndon B. Johnson won it in 1964.
Rhode Island
In Rhode Island’s 4th Senate District, Democrat Stefano Famiglietti won a landslide victory, winning over 80 percent of the vote — a 56-point overperformance.
South Carolina
In South Carolina’s 50th House District, Democrat Keishan Scott cruised to victory, overperforming the top of the November ticket by 36 points and winning over 70 percent of the vote.
Wisconsin:
Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Susan Crawford beat Elon Musk-backed Brad Schimel by double digits in a bellwether race that showed Wisconsin voters squarely rejecting the influence of Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and billionaire special interests.
Virginia
In Virginia’s 32nd state Senate District, Democrat Kannan Srinivasan overperformed the top of the November ticket and won his election by a 62-38 margin.
In Virginia’s 26th state House District, Democrat JJ Singh overperformed the top of the November ticket and won his election by a 62-38 margin.
This summer, the DNC reached over 1.6 million voters through our Organizing Summer efforts. Chair Ken Martin has made it clear: We’re taking the DNC out of D.C., because when we organize everywhere, we can win anywhere. These overperformances are just the beginning. Thank you to everyone who sent a text, knocked on doors, and mobilized your community. You’re powering this movement!
Here Are Three Ways To Support the Democratic Party This Week:
Stay Informed and Engaged: Follow @TheDemocrats, @FactPost, and @TrumpEpsteinBot on social media to stay up to date on what the DNC is doing to elect more Democrats and hold Trump accountable.
Start a Sustaining Gift to the DNC: Consider starting a monthly gift — just $3 can make a big difference. Your contribution helps the DNC support state parties and elect Democrats at every level nationwide.
Watch the Daily Blueprint: We are cutting through the noise to give you the updates you want from the DNC. Tune in daily to hear from Hannah on the latest on Trump and how we are fighting back. Subscribe to @TheDemocrats on YouTube while you’re there!
The Sprint to November’s Elections Starts Now
More than 15,000 volunteers joined the DNC’s first-ever Organizing Summer to hold Republicans accountable and mobilize in key redistricting fights. Now, with October only a few weeks away, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Early voting kicks off THIS FRIDAY in Virginia, and we’re also facing critical statewide elections in New Jersey, plus redistricting battles from coast to coast.
Now’s the time to check your voter registration. Make sure your information is up to date and you know where to cast your vote by clicking the button below to visit iwillvote.com. Every vote matters, and being prepared is the first step to making yours count.
Also, Jenny from the Organizing Team is sharing weekly organizing opportunities right here on Substack through their newsletter, Ground Game, every Friday. Don’t miss out on ways to get involved and make an impact. Be sure to subscribe to The Blue Print so you never miss an update!
Tim Walz on Trump, Minnesota, and the 2024 Campaign
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz joined DNC Chair Ken Martin after the Minnesota State Fair to talk about his reflections on the 2024 campaign, healing divisions in the country, and holding Republicans accountable for failing to make life better for families nationwide. It’s a dynamic conversation filled with information you don’t want to miss! You can watch it here or on our YouTube channel.
Thank you so much for reading The Blue Print. If you enjoyed this week's newsletter, make sure to like, restack, and share with your friends!
Best,
Maya
PATRIOTIC INDIVIDUALS (AND THEIR ORGANIZATIONS), WHO ARE MOVED BY JUDGE LUTTIG'S WORDS AND RECOGNIZE MERIT IN THE CONCEPT PROPOSED BELOW, SHOULD CONSIDER REFINING AND ADAPTING IT FOR IMPLEMENTATION ON AN EXPEDITED BASIS.
THERE STILL IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE VOTERS COMMITTED TO THE RULE OF LAW AND OUR SYSTEM OF REPUBLICAN SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, IRRESPECTIVE OF PARTY AFFILIATION, MANY OF WHOM ALREADY FEAR EXERCISING THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
TOO OFTEN, THEY HESITATE TO UNDERTAGE PEACEFUL ACTIONS (SUCH AS ATTENDING DEMONSTRATIONS LIKE 'NO MORE KINGS' OR CONTRIBUTING TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS PROMOTING CIVIL LIBERTIES AND GOOD GOVERNMENT) BECAUSE OF AN UNDERSTANDABLE FEAR OF RETALIATION, RETRIBUTION, OR OTHER ATTACK, SUCH AS MANY FORMER FBI, DOJ, INTELLIGENCE, MILITARY PERSONNEL AND OTHER OFFICIALS HAVE EXPERIENCED.
IT IS A TRAGEDY THAT THE COURTS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT BODIES MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PROTECT SUCH PERSONS. THE REALITY IS THAT THIS DANGER IS UNDERSCORED BY THREATS DIRECTED AT LEGISLATORS, JUDGES, OFFICIALS, AND OTHERS (AND THEIR FAMILIES), AS WELL AS RESPECTED ORGANIZATIONS LIKE THE FORD AND OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS.
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A Response to Judge J. Michael Luttig's Diagnosis of America's Political Ailments and Constitutional Crisis as set out in "The Self-Evident Truths of Freedom - and of Tyranny" - Proposal for A Debate.
It is time for all Americans to engage on the existential issues facing our country. We are in an unprecedented national crisis with international consequences, we must not dither.
Ethan S. Burger, Sep 17, 2025
Telos News
America’s Grievances Against Its “King” on Constitution Day 2025
In July, to mark Independence Day, Telos News published J. Michael Luttig’s “The Self-Evident Truths of Freedom—and of Tyranny.” To honor Constitution Day, September 17, Luttig has returned with a new essay that we are enormously proud to share first with our readers…
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3 days ago · 2233 likes · 23 comments · Judge J. Michael Luttig
In July, to mark Independence Day, Telos News published J. Michael Luttig’s “The Self-Evident Truths of Freedom—and of Tyranny.” To honor Constitution Day, September 17, Luttig has returned with a new essay that we are enormously proud to share first with our readers.
In his defense of the Constitution against what he describes as Trump’s “vicious, unsustainable, and unendurable attack,” Luttig has assumed the role of a republican statesman in the old mold—part Marcus Tullius Cicero, part James Madison. Like Cicero, Luttig’s warnings have been precise, legal, insistent that republics die less from the assault than from the neglect, and that respect for the law, once forsaken, rarely returns. As Madison did, Luttig has been reminding Americans that the Constitution is not a set of suggestions, but the frame that bears the weight of the Republic. He has warned not of imminent collapse, but the creeping rot that follows when reverence for law gives way to partisan expediency. In his new essay, Luttig declares “twenty-six grievances against the forty-seventh President of the United States,” and, invoking Abraham Lincoln, he calls for the Constitution to once again “become the political religion of the nation.”
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The legacy, independent, international, and social media should call on and create the infrastructure for the Administration and its defenders to publicly debate the "Grievances" identified by retired U.S. Court of Appeals Judge J. Michael Luttig with certain members of the public.
The Supreme Court Justices should be invited to observe. Ideally, media organizations, or appropriate individuals/organizations, should offer to host the event. The convocation of this event (i.e. challenge) should be made formally and repeated in print, online, on the air, and at public events such as press conferences, over a three-month period to allow everyone to plan ahead.
The format can be based upon the Lincoln-Douglas debates (of which there were seven), with appropriate changes to reflect our country’s political and social circumstances and methods of communication that have come about in the interim.
It would be an exercise in modern education and civil discourse, which could be impactful, if treated as a serious endeavor, and supported by societal, religious, public interest, and professional organizations who should play a role in its content and structure.
The mantra from the movie Field of Dreams, often misremembered is applicable — “If you build it, they will come.” Humans are endowed with the ability to create their own reality, as they were born with intelligence and free will.
CSPAN and various platforms on YouTube (without commercial interruption) should show the event live and then repeat it in full over the next 72 hours (or longer). It should be subtitled in all the UN official languages, and be available globally.
In addition to Judge Luttig, those airing the Grievances might consist of Governors Newsome, Pritzker, and Moore, Senators Booker, Klobuchar, Sanders, Schiff, Murphy, Van Hollen, Warren, Whitehouse, and Wyden, and Representatives Garcia, Khanna, Ocasio-Cortez, and Raskin (reasonable people may disagree, who would be the best debaters), as well as others such as historians, religious leaders, union officials, commentators and thought leaders, corporate leaders, scientists, medical doctors, judges, and leading educators, of all political persuasions and ethnic, professional and religious backgrounds.
If the Administration and its supporters refuse to boycott the event, it must be held nonetheless with empty chairs to illustrate its unwillingness to defend its policies. It would not be able to control the narrative. The world would be watching. Perhaps President Trump and someone like Governor Newsom might give an opening statement.
The public discourse would gain legitimacy, if the participants reflected the dicersity of views present in American society. It is essential since the current political superstructure has failed protect the civil and constitutional rights of our citizens and persons legally present in the United States, including those seeking political asylum, would qualify for DACA, or entered the U.S. in a manner consistent with law in effect at the time of entry.
The present circumstances are a result of an an unprecedented and previously unanticipated power grab that is beyond the imaginations of George Orwell’s 1984, Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone, Franz Kafka’s The Trial, and Arthur Koestler’s Darkness at Noon, enhanced by AI for the contemporary era.
As such, the proposed event would be impactful, the equivalent of a Constitutional Convention, without the formal legal trappings.
Unlike when House Democrats read out loud in a Capitol hearing room the full redacted 448-page version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s 448-page report on Russian election interference in the Capital on March 16, 2019, this could be an important news event, aimed at promoting widespread public discourse. It would have real world consequences because the electorate would be watching. It would be designed to be a spectacle that could not be ignored.
As such it would not merely be performative. It would be unlike the public readings of the full Mueller Report by volunteers in a 24-hour marathon in Seattle, the staged 11-hour public reading of Volume II in Washington, D.C. with dozens of performs reading in shifts and the celebrity staged reading of excerpt in “The Investigation: A Search for the Truth in Ten Acts",” by Robert Schenkkan with actors John Lithgow, Annette Benning, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sigourney Weaver, and others.
PLEASE COMMENT ON AND DISCUSS THIS PROPOSAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA, INCLUDING SUBSTACKS
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Judge Luttig rose to national prominence after he warned Donald Trump was “a clear and present danger to American democracy” and publicly disputed efforts to subvert the 2020 election.
Notably, on January 5–6, 2021, he advised Vice President Pence that he lacked constitutional authority to overturn the electoral vote, calling it “the highest honor of my lifetime."
Judge Luttig’s Substack includes:
**“Twenty‑seven truths about America, our Democracy and Rule of Law, and our rights, freedoms, and liberties”
*** "Judge Luttig’s Independence Day Message to America”)* — A comprehensive, values‑oriented treatise published around Independence Day, offering foundational principles about democracy and liberty.
*(“America’s Free Press”)* — A passionate defense of press freedom as the backbone of democratic accountability.
**“The President Threatens the Nation’s Federal Courts and the Supreme Court Silently Condones.”*
**“The People’s Right to a Free Press Shall Not Be Abridged.”**
Anchored by his personal involvement in the 2020 election events, this post emphasizes both constitutional protections and the vital role of scrutiny in democracy.
Other posts reflecting on the Supreme Court’s role (“Where Is the Supreme Court of the United States?”) and foundational legal principles (“New York Times v. Sullivan: A Dead Letter”) offer critical reflections on institutional integrity.
These represent Luttig’s most resonant and widely read Substack writings.
https://lnkd.in/eEvBkncV
America’s Grievances Against Its “King” on Constitution Day 2025
telos.news
Meanwhile, my gay friends are afraid to be in their own yard.