Bob Gatty, Arthur Hill, and Robert Thompson discuss the Democratic election victories and the challenges facing Congress in 2027.by Bob Gatty
The 2026 midterm elections delivered a political earthquake that shook Donald Trump, his MAGA allies, and the Republican Party. But as Democrats celebrate sweeping victories, the biggest question is whether they can turn their new political power into meaningful change for the American people.
The South, long considered a Republican stronghold, played a significant role in the Democratic surge, with major victories in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia contributing to the party’s capture of both houses of Congress.
For those of us who have spent years watching Democrats struggle to gain ground in Southern states, the results represent a remarkable shift in the political landscape. But there is a warning embedded in all that good news: Winning elections is one thing. Governing effectively is quite another.
That’s the challenge we explored in our latest episode of The Dixie Dems, featuring Arthur Hill of North Carolina, Robert Thompson of Georgia, and yours truly from South Carolina.
South Carolina’s Political Earthquake
Perhaps one of the most surprising victories came in South Carolina, where pediatrician Annie Andrews defeated Darline Graham, the sister of the late Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham and Donald Trump’s handpicked candidate for the Senate. Trump campaigned for Graham three times, but it wasn’t enough.
Before the election, I published an article suggesting that an Andrews victory could produce a political earthquake in South Carolina. One MAGA supporter responded that we don’t have earthquakes in South Carolina and suggested I return to California if I wanted one.
Well, my friend, not only did we have an earthquake, we had a political tsunami!
Andrews wasn’t the only Democrat celebrating. Retired Navy Admiral Nancy Lacore also won a congressional seat, adding another Democratic voice to South Carolina’s delegation — and sticking it to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who had previously fired her.
But the state’s results also demonstrated the limits of the Democratic surge.
Republican Alan Wilson defeated Democrat Jermaine Johnson in the governor’s race, and Republicans maintained their dominance of the state legislature.
Johnson, whom I interviewed during the campaign, offered a compelling vision for South Carolina’s future. Although he lost, his strong showing suggested that Democrats may have an opportunity to build a more competitive party in the years ahead, and he is actively being promoted as a strong challenger to U.S. Sen. Tim Scott.
North Carolina’s Democratic Breakthrough
In North Carolina, former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper won election to the U.S. Senate, providing another major victory for the party.
Arthur Hill, vice chair of the Brunswick County Democratic Party, described dramatic gains in the state’s congressional delegation and legislature — victories that could create new opportunities to address public education, teacher salaries, affordable childcare, healthcare, housing, and disaster recovery.
Hill emphasized that Democrats must now demonstrate that their victories can translate into policies that improve people’s lives, and for North Carolina voters, the possibilities include greater investment in public education, relief for working families, and stronger protections for affordable healthcare.
Georgia Makes History
Georgia also produced a historic result with the election of former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms as governor.
During our discussion, Robert Thompson shared a remarkable historical connection involving Bottoms’ family. He described records identifying one of her ancestors, Shepherd Peak, as an enslaved man in Georgia in the 1860s. More than a century and a half later, his descendant has reached the governor’s office.
The symbolism is extraordinary, particularly in a state whose political history has been deeply shaped by slavery, segregation, and the struggle for civil rights.
Thompson also warned that Democratic success could intensify racial and political tensions in Georgia, making it even more important for the new leadership to focus on policies benefiting all residents.
The Democrats’ Biggest Challenge
The overriding issue, however, isn’t simply how Democrats won. It’s what they intend to do now.
As I argued during our discussion, Democrats cannot afford to spend the next two years conducting one investigation after another while neglecting the concerns that brought voters to the polls.
Americans want relief from high prices. They want affordable healthcare. They want better schools, housing they can afford, fair taxation, and a government that responds to their needs.
They also deserve accountability for abuses of power.
Hill made an important point: Democrats should be capable of doing both.
Congressional committees can pursue legitimate investigations while other committees develop legislation addressing affordability, healthcare, energy, and other urgent priorities. That distinction matters because accountability and effective governing should not be competing objectives.
Project 2027: A New Democratic Agenda?
Thompson introduced another interesting concept: Project 2027.
After watching the Trump administration pursue the priorities associated with Project 2025, he believes Democrats need an equally serious plan for what comes next, not simply a strategy for reversing Republican policies, but a positive agenda for making government work better.
The clock is already ticking.
When the new Congress convenes in January, Democratic leaders will face enormous expectations from voters who supported them because they wanted change. Failure to respond quickly could squander the opportunity voters have given them.
Does the Democratic Party Need New Leadership?
Our conversation also turned to the leadership of the Democratic Party.
Should Chuck Schumer continue leading Senate Democrats? Is Hakeem Jeffries the right person to lead the House?
There are legitimate questions about both.
Schumer has demonstrated considerable political skill in recruiting candidates and working behind the scenes. But is he the public communicator Democrats need at this moment?
Jeffries, meanwhile, faces questions about his relationship with the party’s progressive wing.
With a new generation of Democratic lawmakers arriving in Washington, party leaders must recognize that voters expect more than business as usual.
The party needs effective leadership, energetic communication, and a clear commitment to delivering results.
A Historic Opportunity for Southern Democrats
There is another lesson from the election that should not be overlooked.
Southern Democratic organizations now have an opportunity to build on their successes.
That means recruiting strong candidates, expanding local organizations, reaching voters who have felt ignored, and developing policies that respond to the needs of their communities.
Hill put it plainly during our discussion: State Democratic parties have been handed a magnificent opportunity, and they must not waste it.
He’s right.
For too long, the conventional political wisdom has treated much of the South as permanently Republican territory.
These election results challenge that assumption.
But Democrats cannot rely on a single election to create lasting change.
They must organize, communicate, and deliver.
Winning Was Only the Beginning
The Democratic victories of 2026 have created an extraordinary political opportunity.
But voters will judge the party not simply by the seats it won, but by the results it produces.
Can Democrats make life more affordable?
Can they protect healthcare and strengthen public education?
Can they defend democracy while demonstrating that government can work for ordinary Americans?
Those are the questions that will shape the next two years.
The blue tsunami has changed the political landscape.
Now Democrats must prove they deserve the power voters have given them.
Bob Gatty is editor and host of Lean to the Left and a co-host of The Dixie Dems, a Southern political podcast featuring perspectives from South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia.
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The South Has a Voice. And It’s Blue.