Georgia Democrats continued to gather momentum ahead of next year’s midterm elections, flipping a solidly Republican state House seat in a special election on Tuesday, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.
The Downballot: “That’s 25 pickups for Democrats nationwide this year—and zero for Republicans.”
“Overall, in more than 60 special elections nationwide, Democrats are outperforming the 2024 presidential results by an average of more than 13 points.”
Eileen Higgins (D) defeated Trump-backed opponent Emilio González (R) in Tuesday night’s runoff for Miami mayor, the Miami Herald reports.
Although the race is technically non-partisan, Higgins is the first Democrat to become mayor of Miami since 1997.
Dan Pfeiffer: “Before tonight, Republicans were already pretty worried about holding onto their razor-thin majority. After a narrow win in a special election in Tennessee, they should be terrified…”
“One year ago, Trump won this district by 22 points. Yet he was entirely absent from the GOP campaign. Republicans never used him in ads. He didn’t campaign for Van Epps. His role was limited to some tweets and then a phone call to Speaker Mike Johnson while Johnson was at a rally. Johnson put the president on speakerphone, but both he and the audience seemed, at best, ambivalent about Trump’s involvement.”
“There’s no question Van Epps’s strategists were banging their heads against the wall, since their entire strategy had been to pretend Trump didn’t exist. But, of course, Trump can never resist making it about himself.”
“James Solomon, a 41-year-old city councilmember elected with the support of anti-machine progressives, will be the next mayor of New Jersey’s second largest city,” Politico reports.
“Solomon won Tuesday’s runoff to lead Jersey City, besting disgraced former Gov. Jim McGreevey. Both men are Democrats but from different parts of the party.”
Matt Van Epps (R) is projected to defeat Aftyn Behn (D) in a special election in Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District, according to Decision Desk HQ.
All polls are now closed in Tennessee’s 7th congressional district special election race.
Leave your reactions in the comments as results come in.
Time: “To be sure, Democrats are aware they’re still talking about Tennessee. Privately, they’re passing around internal polling that shows them between 7 and 10 points down—losing but maybe possibly within striking distance of a potential upset if lightning strikes.”
“Republicans are looking to hang on to a ruby-red congressional district Tuesday in a surprisingly competitive special election that has become a high-profile test of voters’ attitudes about President Donald Trump’s agenda and Democrats’ response less than a year before the midterm elections,” the Washington Post reports.
“The contest in Tennessee’s 7th District, which Trump won by more than 20 percentage points in 2024, has put the GOP on edge, while raising Democratic hopes about a massive upset or overperformance weeks after a strong showing in off-year elections across several states. Strategists in both parties say they see a competitive race that tilts toward the Republican candidate as each side has flooded the district with money, ads and prominent surrogates not typically seen in such a partisan stronghold.”
For members: An Early Test of a Midterm Wave
“Jersey City voters will head to the polls Tuesday for a runoff to decide whether Jim McGreevey, who resigned from the New Jersey governorship in scandal more than 20 years ago, will complete a political comeback and become their next mayor,” CNN reports.
“McGreevey stepped down less than halfway into his first term, admitting to an extramarital affair and disclosing that he was gay, amid accusations that he abused his official power to pursue a romantic relationship with an aide.”
New York Times: “Speaker Mike Johnson, who flew in from Washington early Monday, called President Trump and put his phone on speaker…”
“The phone call, coupled with the convergence of political heavyweights, underscored just how much Republicans appear rattled by the Tuesday election for what would normally be a safe conservative seat in Tennessee’s Seventh Congressional District.”
“It is the final special election of 2025 and, as Mr. Johnson told reporters, ‘we think what will happen here will be a bellwether for the midterms next year.'”
For members: An Early Test of a Midterm Wave
“Aftyn Behn, the Democratic nominee for next week’s special election in a heavily Republican Tennessee congressional district, has made affordability concerns a centerpiece of her campaign messaging – mirroring the playbook of the party’s victorious candidates for governor in Virginia and New Jersey earlier this month,” CNN reports.
“Tuesday’s contest is poised to test just how far Democrats can ride that argument in a district that President Donald Trump carried by 22 points last November.”
President Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson plan to hold a Monday evening tele-rally to boost a Republican candidate in a high-stakes Tennessee special congressional election, Axios reports.
“Zohran Mamdani’s decisive win in New York City — along with key victories in New Jersey and Virginia — suggested Democrats are headed into the midterms from a position of strength. But they didn’t capture how deep that strength ran,” Politico reports.
“Across suburbs, rural counties and small towns in New York, Democrats posted electoral gains that rival — and in many cases surpass — the party’s 2017 ‘Blue Wave.’ In a state with enough competitive House races to decide control of the chamber, the outcome amounts to a wakeup call for already-wary Republicans.”
“House Democrats are jumping into an upcoming special election in Tennessee, dumping $1 million on an increasingly nationalized battle for a deep-red congressional seat as President Donald Trump gets involved in the race,” Politico reports.
“The spending represents a dramatic escalation for national Democrats, who have so far not spent significant cash on the long-shot race.”
A new Emerson/The Hill survey of the special election for US Congress in Tennessee’s 7th district finds 48% of voters support Matt Van Epps (R) and 46% support Aftyn Behn (D).
“A special election for a heavily Republican House seat in Tennessee that was on virtually no one’s political radar a few months ago has surfaced as the unlikely new front in the fight for control of Congress,” the New York Times reports.
“President Trump recently held a telephone rally for the Republican candidate, Matt Van Epps. Former Vice President Kamala Harris appeared at a canvassing event on Tuesday for the Democrat, State Representative Aftyn Behn. And super PACs on both sides are blitzing the airwaves before the Dec. 2 special election for a seat that was drawn with the intention of never being competitive.”
“Former Vice President Kamala Harris plans to make a surprise appearance on Tuesday with the Democratic candidate in a closely watched Tennessee special election for Congress, marking the first time since she left office that she has returned to the campaign trail for another candidate,” the New York Times reports.
Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.
Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.
Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.
Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.
Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.
