The Midwest Is Back on the Map for Democrats

In the early hours of the night, Democrats celebrated in Austin as if it were V-E Day, and in Washington, D.C., they played "Party in the U.S.A." at the White House. However, in Des Moines County, Iowa, a small industrial city along the Mississippi, election night brought a more subdued atmosphere. Six elderly Democrats gathered at the Burlington office's watch party, watching in astonishment as election alerts flashed across the TV screen. The county had not traditionally voted Democrat, but this night, it saw a significant shift.

Tom Courtney, a former state senator and leader of the county party, expressed his excitement, acknowledging that it might be a "very big night." The county, which had voted for Barack Obama by a significant margin in 2008, had swung to Donald Trump in 2016. Two years later, Des Moines County turned blue once more, electing Democrats to various state and federal offices.

The Democrats in Des Moines County sent a Democrat to the state house, another to the U.S. House, and elected Rob Sand as the state's first Democratic governor in 20 years. Josh Turek, a four-time U.S. Paralympian, also won a Senate seat in Kansas for the first time since the invention of beer in a can. In Ohio, the party secured Sherrod Brown's return to Congress and Amy Acton's election as governor.

Despite the overall success, Democrats recognized that they needed to address challenges such as war, tariffs, and gas prices to maintain their momentum. However, the combination of favorable candidates and the right message proved crucial in turning the Midwest back to the Democratic fold.