From: DNC Chair Ken Martin

Last night’s special election in VA-11 was further proof that voters are fed up with Trump and Republicans’ billionaire-first agenda. Rep.-Elect James Walkinshaw’s victory wasn’t an outlier — it was the latest in a string of Democrats beating the odds all over the country and outperforming trends from 2017, the last time Democrats were in the minority in Washington.

With last night’s win, Democrats have officially won or overperformed in 42 out of 43 key elections this year. 

• Democrats have won or overperformed in 98% of key races, compared to 86% at this point in 2017.
• On average, Democrats have overperformed by 16 points in special elections, compared to 12 points by this time in 2017.

This surge in support for Democrats is not just happening in Virginia, but also in other red and purple states across the country. Take Iowa, for example:

• Last month, Iowa Democrat Catelin Drey flipped a district Trump carried by more than 11 points in 2024 and broke the Republican supermajority. 
• Her win marked the fourth significant Democratic overperformance this year in Iowa, including overperformances in three districts Trump had won by at least 10%.

Why this matters: 

• Trump’s polling is in a downward spiral, but the only poll that counts is the one at the ballot box. 
• As we sprint toward the November 2025 elections, Democrats have the momentum.
  • This trend of Democratic overperformance in special elections proves voters are fired up and ready to hold Trump and Republicans accountable for their billionaire-first agenda.