"The spate of wins produced tangible results for Democrats: flipping the governorship in Virginia; expanding the party's legislative caucuses in blue, purple, and red states; and, with a December 30 Iowa Democratic special election win, blocking Republican efforts to restore a state Senate supermajority. These sorts of victories should inspire Democrats to replicate the grassroots bench-building strategy Republicans executed with great success in the 1990s: Start local, rack up school board, town council, and mayoral wins, and run those office holders in statewide elections."
"Beaver County Democratic Committee chair Erin Gabriel said the party is thriving, with a network of supportive union locals and a strong base of volunteers who not only door-knock and phone bank but are active year-round in the community. "It's good for our neighbors to see that we're involved in the community because we live here too. We're not scary," said Gabriel."
Rural Democrats achieved a series of local and statewide victories across nonurban regions, producing tangible results such as flipping Virginia's governorship and expanding legislative caucuses in diverse states. A December 30 Iowa special election prevented Republicans from restoring a state Senate supermajority. The wins reflect a grassroots bench-building approach: win school boards, town councils, and mayoralties, then elevate those officeholders to statewide races. Beaver County offers an example where Democrats ousted a Moms for Liberty-endorsed board after litigation-driven tax hikes, and cultivated year-round volunteer networks and union support that emphasize community presence and sustained local engagement.
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