John Semley: I went to grab a coffee in Philly as the midterm results poured in. Let me tell you about the bluepocalypse euphoria I saw - Toronto Star

Texans cheer as Deep Red Texas elected a Democratic Senator, James Talarico, for the first time since 1988.

Early on the morning of November 4, as the results of the U.S. midterm elections were settling across the nation, I went for a sluggish 5 kilometre jog down the Delaware River Trail in Philadelphia, basking in the cool autumn air, and the considerably warmer feelings that seemed to vibrate off just about every smiling face I passed. Around the 3.5 km mark, I passed a guy running shirtless, in 22°C temperatures, sporting a Philadelphia 76ers decked out in bright pride flag colours. And it hit me: woke is back, baby.

Early polls predicted a drubbing for Donald Trump and the Republicans in the midterms. Many Americans were sick of America’s war in Iran, and continued support of the Israeli regime. The cost of living was skyrocketing. Eggs and gas were getting more expensive. Masked government goons had been abducting — and murdering people — in the street, under the auspices of “immigration enforcement.” Some were anticipating a “blue wave.” By the time the polls closed, it was being called a “blue tsunami.” In the blush of the morning after it seems even more seismic, and historic. What’s bigger than a “blue tsunami?” A Bluepocalypse?

The final tally surpassed even the most optimistic expectations. Democrats reclaimed control of the U.S. House of Representatives, picking up 25 seats. More surprisingly, they gained seven seats in the Senate. Deep Red Texas elected a Democratic Senator, James Talarico, for the first time since 1988. Michigan elected the Senate’s first Muslim member, Abdul El-Sayed — a progressive candidate who, in the run-up to the election, was lambasted by right-wing and centrist opponents alike, as everything from a jihadist extremist to a pro-LGBTQ, pro-choice commie. Chris Pappas, America’s first openly gay male senator, was elected in New Hampshire. Incidentally, the sister of the late South Carolina senator Lindsay Graham, Darline Graham, was also defeated. It was a new, crisp morning in America.

This seems to be the feeling on the ground, at least in the Dem stronghold of Philadelphia. (Pennsylvania also won a Democratic “trifecta” in the midterms, securing control of the state Senate, House, and Governorship.) My local barista, unflappably surly, admitted to being pleased with the results. His colleague was more ebullient. I can’t recall the city radiating such unabated positivity since last June, when the news came through that Lebron James was being traded from the Lakers, and becoming a Philadelphia 76er.

Politically, most of my friends and intimates run, as they used to say, “left of Lenin.” We tend to regard the Democratic Party as a broken mechanism grinding in broken political machinery. Still, taking in the final tallies, it was hard not to “lib out.” Watching the Democrats smoke the Republicans — leaving Trump as a sitting duck and, knock wood, signaling the death knell of the putrid MAGA movement — was no doubt exciting.

Beyond the giddy thrill of seeing one’s political enemies vanquished, there were causes for genuine optimism. Democratic candidates who ran further to the left, such as Michigan’s El-Sayed and Pennsylvania Representative Chris Rabb, helped consolidate the progressive influence over the Democratic Party. Heck, a candidate endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America flipped a state House seat in Florida. Florida! The literal and figurative home of the MAGA swamp! Proof, if we needed it, that many voters aren’t rattled by the bogeyman of socialism, and will rally behind candidates who prove genuinely inspiring — or who, at least, aren’t completely uninspiring. (See: the previous Biden/Harris Presidential ticket.)

Of course, it benefits even the giddiest among us to practice a little circumspection. History has shown that Democrats tend to squander these sorts of opportunities. They almost always moderate back to the centre, expecting their right-wing opponents to meet them there. Instead of passing legislation that appeals to voter concerns, they’ll probably spend a lot of time and energy trying to impeach Trump, in the service of proving some symbolic point. I think this would be a missed opportunity. The Democrats have to keep the proverbial pedal to the metal, especially on progressive issues that seem increasingly popular with everyday Americans. Centrists and mainstream liberals will surely attempt to frame MAGA as some anomaly, best forgotten, and fail to address the political and material realities that fomented Trump’s popularity in the first place.

But hey: we can worry about all that stuff tomorrow. Today? America libs out.

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Opinion articles are based on the author’s interpretations and judgments of facts, data and events. More details