The Democratic Party is crowing over its victories in Tuesday’s elections in several states around the country, claiming it was a continuation of wins driven by voter concerns about President Trump.
Party Chairman Tom Perez said that elections showing Democratic gains in 2017, 2018 and 2019 prove that there is a growing voter disgruntlement with Trump.
“There have now been three elections, 2017, 2018, and 2019, and every single election has been a repudiation of Trumpism,” Perez told a media roundtable hosted by the Christian Science Monitor Wednesday morning.
We saw some historic victories tonight. The hard work of campaign staffers and volunteers helped secure hard-fought Democratic wins across the country. We’ll carry this momentum into 2020 — we’re mobilized, organized, and ready to win.
— Tom Perez (@TomPerez) November 6, 2019
While the administration pointed to a handful of wins in Tuesday’s election, it was the Democrats who came away with the biggest prizes, including taking control of Virginia’s legislature and likely the Kentucky governorship.
Perez highlighted Kentucky, where Trump just three years ago beat Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton by 29.8 points, nearly double her support.
“Donald Trump wins a state by 30 points, and he can’t drag a Republican across the finish line in that state,” he said of Kentucky Republican Gov. Matt Bevin’s apparent loss by 5,333 votes to Democrat Andy Beshear. The results could lead to a recount.
Despite the media’s obsession with anti-@realDonaldTrump spin, Kentucky is nothing like the race the radical 2020 Democrats are running.
Congratulations to all the fantastic Republican candidates — including 5 statewide in Kentucky — who have won so far!
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) November 6, 2019
The results, he added, could also lead to a new wave of House GOP retirements, which would ease the pressure on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi going into the 2020 election.
“I think one effect of last night’s elections is that you are going to see more retirements,” said Perez, adding, “they can see the handwriting on the wall.”
And he pointed out that the Democratic Party did well in suburbs, coal country, and in presumably pro-gun areas like the counties surrounding the National Rifle Association’s northern Virginia headquarters.
