It’s the Morality, Stupid
Some midterm voters may have been driven by the desire to repudiate cruelty.
Last month, in Minneapolis, I visited memorials dedicated to Alex Pretti and Renee Good, who were killed by federal agents. These memorials, filled with mementos of hope and sorrow, stood as living organisms in the spots where they fell. On Election Day, these memorials were refreshed with I voted stickers, showcasing the voters' desire for vindication against Donald Trump's policies and the worldview he represented.
In Austin, Texas, Senator-elect James Talarico's victory speech featured signs bearing the message, "Love Thy Neighbor." This message, while seemingly tied to Talarico's left-leaning Christian beliefs, also represented a desire for politics based on simple values. The election was about more than just economic pain and concern over corruption; it was also about a more humane approach to politics that appealed to people's sense of decency.
Democratic strategist David Axelrod acknowledged the season's shift from cynicism and anger to a common humanity and a yearning for decency. This moral shift was not limited to Democrats; even some on the right, like Ben Shapiro, recognized a change in the "gestalt" of politics. The shift towards morality, as Axelrod described it, was a smart strategy, as it appealed to people's desire for a more compassionate and just political landscape.
Despite some Republicans condemning morally charged political messaging, the results of the election demonstrated that Americans desired a more virtuous and humane approach to politics.
Written by urgent.news from The Atlantic's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
