WSJ Opinion: Free Expression Democrats Make a Startling Comeback on Election Day
Nov 5, 2025
In this discussion, Joel Kotkin, a professor of urban studies and expert on the politics of American cities, unpacks the surprising successes of the Democratic Party in recent off-year elections. He explores the growing leftist shift in major cities like New York and Chicago, highlighting the role of affordability and demographic changes. Kotkin also addresses the fractures within the Republican Party, the implications of recent wins for figures like Zohran Mamdani, and how evolving racial and immigration dynamics are reshaping the political landscape.
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Democrats' Unexpected Off-Year Momentum
- Off-year elections showed Democrats making surprising gains coast-to-coast, reversing narratives of their decline.
- Voter dissatisfaction focused on affordability and government dysfunction drove many of those results.
Two Threads: Suburbs And The Democratic Left
- Joel Kotkin sees two big stories: suburban Democratic gains and a rising left wing inside the party.
- He warns the GOP's one-man control and unpredictability weaken its organizational strength.
New York's Demographic Shift
- Kotkin recalls demographic change in New York: the Jewish population halved and the old working class largely moved out.
- He links rising professional hipster voters to Manhattan's new political profile supporting democratic socialists.