Democrats' path to power may come through hundreds of races far from Washington

Much of nationalist Democrats' attraction successful adjacent year's midterms is centered connected moving to flip power of the U.S. House and triumph consequential races for governor. But immoderate successful the enactment person zeroed successful connected little talked-about elections, successful statesmanlike battlegrounds and ruby-red states astir the country, that could beryllium little costly and person a far-reaching interaction astatine a clip erstwhile the Democratic marque has grown wearisome with immoderate voters.

Democrats' authorities legislative run limb is outlining a imaginable way "to flip much than 650 authorities legislative seats" crossed a scope of states. A large absorption is connected races successful battleground states similar Wisconsin, Michigan and Arizona, and the radical is aiming to curtail GOP powerfulness successful places similar Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Ohio, wherever Republican power has been impactful. 

"The favorable governmental situation taking signifier for Democrats is connected a standard that lone comes erstwhile successful a generation," a caller memo from Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee president Heather Williams says, portion besides outlining that a "first precedence close present is to money and put aboriginal successful our battleground states arsenic portion of our $50 cardinal powerfulness enlargement strategy to triumph connected this map." 

When pressed for details, a spokesperson told CBS News that $50 cardinal is the group's "estimated budget," but "we besides inactive person a batch of enactment up to rise the afloat amount."

Democrats person mislaid astir 800 authorities legislative seats implicit the past 15 years, according to information from the National Conference of State Legislatures, importantly weakening their powerfulness successful capitals nationwide. 

Governors connected the near successful Wisconsin, Arizona and North Carolina contend with GOP-controlled legislatures, and Democrats lone power 1 enclosure of the legislature successful Pennsylvania, Michigan and Minnesota.

But races up and down the ballot successful November 2026 whitethorn beryllium hard for Republicans fixed the governmental rebuke that the president's party usually faces successful a midterm cycle. And portion 2024 was a beardown twelvemonth for the GOP, legislative elections this twelvemonth successful Virginia and New Jersey person fixed Democrats hope.

Republicans are attempting to propulsion backmost against the nationalist communicative that Democrats person an borderline successful adjacent year's midterms.

"After historical losses successful 2024, we knew the Democrats were going to travel into this adjacent rhythm prepared. Their strategy of leaning connected emotion, money, and instrumentality authorities to claw backmost short-term momentum volition not last," Edith Jorge-Tuñón, the president of the Republican State Leadership Committee, said successful a November 2025 memo. 

Republicans person seen firsthand however statehouse majorities tin beryllium captious successful Washington successful caller months, arsenic GOP  leaders successful North Carolina, Missouri and Texas redraw their legislature maps mid-decade successful an effort to assistance Republicans support astatine slightest a constrictive bulk successful the U.S. House.

Over the years, Democrats person wrestled with reduced sway successful a scope of states, giving mode to fears of a depleted seat of candidates to tally successful higher-profile races wherever wealth and a flashy run can't lucifer the benignant of goodwill built up successful communities done years of elected service. 

Within states wherever that pipeline does exist, campaigner prime has made a profound quality astatine times for Democrats.

In the reliably Republican authorities of Kansas, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has won 2 presumption successful distinctly antithetic governmental environments aft having served arsenic a authorities senator. 

In Michigan, the changeless statesmanlike battleground wherever governmental powerfulness pivots backmost and forth, Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer served successful some the authorities House and authorities Senate earlier being elected statewide for the archetypal clip successful 2018. 

And successful the politically divided commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Gov. Josh Shapiro was a typical years earlier helium became a governmental heavyweight present seen arsenic a imaginable Democratic statesmanlike campaigner successful 2028. 

"State legislative Democrats are section elected officials who are precise adjacent to their communities and precise adjacent to voters," Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, said successful an interview. "We are capable to present an facet of the Democratic marque and the Democratic storytelling that is amended than anyone else, due to the fact that it is rooted successful everyday, regular conversations and needs." 

One of the large aspects of adjacent year's midterms that has gone little talked-about is however beardown President Trump's ain power volition beryllium to beryllium successful a twelvemonth erstwhile helium isn't moving for bureau himself. 

In statesmanlike predetermination years, the president and his orbit person shown a beardown quality to upend governmental trends and bring retired voters who whitethorn person chosen to enactment astatine location with different candidate. Whether Republicans tin animate those kinds of voters without him connected the ballot is simply a lingering question and 1 that is particularly urgent for the GOP aft Mr. Trump won Michigan, Wisconsin and different statesmanlike battleground states during his past White House run.  

"Republicans underperformed astatine the apical of the summons successful areas wherever President Trump excelled successful 2024 – a wide reminder that authenticity and engagement thrust enthusiasm," Jorge-Tuñón, the president of the Republican State Leadership Committee, said successful the group's 2025 post-election memo. 

It's acold from definite that Democrats volition beryllium capable to marque the gains outlined by the statehouse-focused Democratic run committee. But doing truthful could person wide impacts, with the governmental outfit outlining successful the memo the accidental to not lone flip Republican-held chambers successful Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin, but besides perchance decision Republican supermajorities successful 10 states. 

"I deliberation determination are a batch of radical successful the authorities of Wisconsin that showed up for Donald Trump that present person buyer's remorse," Wisconsin Senate Democratic person Dianne Hesselbein said.