Two years ago in another college town, Lily Franklin focused in on the student vote at Tech and lost by 183 votes. She came back 2 years later and won by 2,233. This year, Andrew Payton did the same thing at JMU and lost only by 257 votes, the closest margin to Tony Wilt in years.

While ultimately helping federal workers is good here, the reasons we feel we got nothing and the vitriolic response that we in the Democratic base are feeling is from a few fronts:

Tonight, Dems went back on our bullshit again and caved for the promise of nothing. People asked for fighters, just when we were finally showing some backbone, spines just crumble under no pressure. This is why Dems have lost the American people’s trust because of this wishy washy shit.

Just bumping this for no particular reason www.bytheballot.com/p/if-liberal...

I just wanted to relax and take a break from the news cycle and watch football man. C’mon.

There’ll be some folks from outside of Virginia on here taking credit for the historic Dem wins on Tuesday. But don’t be mistaken. Anyone can armchair quarterback. This was done by Virginians for Virginians.

Pointing a gun at someone like this without justification is considered aggravated assault in the state of Illinois. Source: www.ilga.gov/Documents/le...

There were either a ton of young male Trump voters who turned 30 this year OR The GOP didn't realize that the reason they won in 2024 was because of the cost of living and economic challenges and relied on Culture War Bullshit™️ and Dems focused on affordability and won them.

The man did not lie. #VAElection #VAHouse #DonScott #Democrats #BlueWave

Just think about this: 2017 was considered a historic turnaround for Dems in Virginia. We held the Governor’s Mansion and we took a 34-66 Republican majority down to 49-50 R majority. Tonight we took back the Governorship and took a 51-49 Dem majority to a 64-36 Dem majority.

I am truly speechless. This result seemed a million miles away last election night. Tonight is an amazing night. Well done VA Dems. Virginia solidified Blue state status.

Fork found in the kitchen

Tonight, Virginia elected: - the first woman to be Governor - the first Muslim and AAPI Lt Governor - the first Black Attorney General And that is the message Virginia Democrats are sending to the world.

Winsome Sears’s final argument in her speech last night: “During COVID, I bought a cutout of Governor Northam, put a facemask on it, took it to the beach, asked it questions, got upset it didn't answer, put it in my basement, and then it scared me.” Really wish I was joking:

I did 4 hours poll greeting this morning at my precinct and had a steady stream of almost 500 voters come in to vote on Election Day and the vibes were immaculate.

Insane shit. How can this person be getting even 40% of the vote? Should be zero. bluevirginia.us/2025/11/virg... h/t @mattroyer.bsky.social

This Winsome Sears’s final arguement for her Gubernatorial: “clean energy doesn’t work because the sun doesn’t always shine and the wind doesn’t always blow.” Just…please vote for Abigail Spanberger before November 4 if you haven’t already…please.

“Sideshow Sears” does have a nice ring to it

Evangelical figures like Billy Graham and Jerry Falwell blurred the lines between faith and Republican politics, convincing followers that to be a “good Christian” is to be a conservative. More on this 👇

Once again, the WaPo Editorial Board missing the point. The crux of this has nothing to do with NIMBYISM or the WH changing itself (this has happened many times). It has to do with the fact that this is in the middle of the Gov't shutdown without approval. www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

It begs the question: If they’re this against the anti-fascists, what does that make them?

Chat, there’s no way he could been lying here when he said he would “never allow the IRS to be used as a political weapon” back in 2019, right? RIGHT?

The rhetoric used in these chats are unbecoming of anyone who is leading major political organization especially one that wants to advocate for young people but it’s indicative of the environment MAGA Republicans are emboldening every day. www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

Republicans didn’t just “get lucky.” They built power from the bottom up — stacking statehouses, courts, & school boards while Dems obsessed over D.C. If we want to win long term, state legislatures are where the fight is. 🗳️🏛️ www.bytheballot.com/p/the-bottom...

Anyone from the MAGA Camp when they see the boot coming

I think it’s incredibly funny that the Right has had to cope so hard with that debate last night that they are sharing a fake story “from the Hill” to frame it as a win.

And this is the quintessential issue with Sears’s campaign: Sears continues to pump out these outrage baiting ads that try to link Abigail Spanberger to these violent acts that don’t. And then offers no alternative to what she will do to help Virginians. Because she doesn’t have a plan to offer.

The Republican laser focus on Trans issues is continuing to backfire as a new Emerson Poll shows that less than a third of voters considering it most important and less than half consider it important at all. But would you look at that: Economy is at the top:

Amazing difference 8 years can make

Politics isn’t broken—it’s kayfabe. Faces vs. heels. Heroes vs. villains. Trump is the main event, but the violence is real. 🎭💥 Read more: open.substack.com/pub/bythebal...

We don’t need “perfect” candidates. We need candidates who fight for people, lead with integrity, and deliver policy that improves lives. Stop chasing ghosts. 👉 open.substack.com/pub/bythebal...

Really awesome to hear from Matt about youth voters. Because clearly we need to have a discussion as a party.

When teenage boys mess up, our instinct is to jump down their throats. But I’ve seen how that outrage feeds the pipeline: extremists tell them people will hate you, yell at you, and try to silence you. That anger just proves them right. I talk about it on #JamesPod:

Democrats don’t lose because of words. We lose because we let the Right define our narrative. It’s time to stop chasing “magic words” and start talking like real people. ✊ 📝 New in By the Ballot: It’s All Semantics

We debate bathrooms more than we debate guns in schools. That’s not by accident — it’s a distraction. 🚨 I joined @jamesabrenio.bsky.social on the latest #JamesPod, I to call out how Republicans hijack the narrative & how Democrats should fight back. 🎧 open.substack.com/pub/bythebal...

If we could get this kind of investment in community building infrastructure and organizing for Democrats in areas to build a sustained party machine instead of just making meme content, we could see momentum and power that would last much longer than the latest internet fad or viral TikTok sound.

If only we could use this money to do something else instead of paying these influencers to push centrist talking points. Easily can say that this will just create more content for Boomers to share on FB and not bring in any new voters from the next generation. Stop. www.wired.com/story/dark-m...

When are we going to talk about the people who are for” protecting students” and “parents rights to not have their kids be political pawns” and “keeping politics out of schools” are always making their children and others’ into national spectacles and schools into battlegrounds for culture wars?

Similar to what I said about these spammy tactics: the “400% matches”, the negative doom and gloom rhetoric, and donation shaming tactics that Dems have adopted from these Scam PACS are disrespecting our donors at best and taking advantage of digital-illiterate seniors at worst. bit.ly/45Xg2Tn

Did a double take when I saw Wilson Hall in my Bluesky feed. Fellow JMU alumnus @mattroyer.bsky.social wrote a good read about universities in red districts, and how to use them to flip those districts.

College students are literally drawn into districts—but are not always registered to vote there. Want to flip a red district? Start with campus housing. Here’s how it can continue to work in Virginia—and how to copy/paste it nationwide: open.substack.com/pub/bythebal...

"The fact is, our electoral system is not perfect. We have room to grow to build a democracy that is more representative and reflective of those who live in it. That is why #RankedChoiceVoting should be adopted in the U.S." – @mattroyer.bsky.social

🚨 Democrats: You don’t need a $20M study or your own Joe Rogan to reach young men. You need to show up. Real organizing > influencer content. Conversations > content. Trust > trends. 🧵 New with ‪@gurtling.bsky.social‬. Why Dems keep getting this wrong ⬇️ open.substack.com/pub/bythebal...

I had the pleasure of weighing in on @jameswalkinshaw.bsky.social’s win on Saturday with @washingtonpost.com. Suffice it to say, it’s hard to run for office and determine larger voter trends with one of the most informed, policy wonky electorate in the entire country:

Now unlike the statewide primary, this was clearly a scenario where RCV wouldn’t have even mattered, much like the 2021 Gubernatorial primary.

Nothing like getting my vote in at the very last minute! Proudly cast my vote in the 11th CD Democratic Primary at Herndon Fornightly. Now time to count!

Y’all pls, VA-11 Democrats are tired. 30 pieces of mail in like 2 weeks. Okay we’ll vote, just pls

It’s clear: messaging about affordability wins elections. The old guard Democrats throwing millions and support behind an unpopular disgraced sex pest of a former governor who doesn’t run on what voters really want does not.

The only thing that can get Dems out of this national rut is a Mamdani W. Having a young, progressive candidate as the party choice for the most liberal city in the Country bodes well for Dems this year. Strapping in for multiple rounds of tallying but signs are looking up.