Overview
- On The Weekly Show podcast, Stewart praised the results as “amazing” but called Democrats “a mess” and asked how they will “squander” their gains.
- MSNBC’s Chris Hayes framed the victories as driven by off-year dynamics and President Trump’s unpopularity, with candidate recruitment and messaging as the controllable factors.
- Hayes cautioned that Democrats could still “screw it up” if they falter on that controllable layer despite favorable structural conditions.
- David Plouffe said the 2026 environment should be as good or better for Democrats, stressing that candidate quality and sharper critiques of Republican opponents will determine outcomes.
- The conversation followed Democratic wins by Abigail Spanberger in Virginia, Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey, Zohran Mamdani in New York City, and the passage of California’s Prop 50, as Trump acknowledged GOP setbacks and cited the shutdown as a factor.