Why I’m Optimistic About the Next Two Years

I’ll be upfront: I’m thrilled. Yesterday’s midterms left me happier, more hopeful, and more motivated than I’ve been in a long time.

Some of these races were remarkable. The Texas Senate contest between James Talarico and Ken Paxton was one of the most compelling of the cycle. The governor’s race there was full of surprises, and statewide offices across Texas moved in a direction few people would have predicted a year ago.

Here in Louisiana, where Chris and I live, the wave (or tsunami) did not change the State of play. But the swing was real. You could see it in parish after parish across the state. That kind of movement doesn’t vanish overnight, and it’s the kind that can keep building toward 2028.

I’m also grateful for how smoothly yesterday went. From everything I’ve seen, there were no significant incidents. People voted, votes were counted, and the system worked. There will be grumbling, mostly from the side that came up short, and that’s to be expected. But the process held, and that matters.

Now comes the part that counts. The next two years should be about the issues that affect people’s daily lives, and about passing legislation that improves them. Some of it may get vetoed. But the president has signaled, at least in some news reports, that he’s open to working together. My read is simple: if every bill carried his name and gave him a win to point to, he’d likely sign a lot of them. If that’s the price of progress for working families, I think it’s one worth considering.

I’ll be working toward a more progressive outcome in these next two years. By that I don’t only mean Democrats. A more moderate Republican in place of a hardliner is a win for the country too. Both parties have their extremes, but they’ve been louder and more plentiful on the Republican side, and yesterday’s results suggest voters are tired of it.

So here’s my call to action, and it’s a small one: get involved locally. Show up. Support candidates, from either party, who share your beliefs and values. We have to start living our lives according to what we believe, not just talking about it.

I’m excited about what comes next. Let’s get to work.