Democrats Sweep Valentine's Day Special Elections

DLCC Celebrates Upset Wins in Oklahoma, Maine

Washington, DC - Democrats have added to a growing tally of special election wins yet again. Last night Curtis McDaniel and Al McAffrey won landslide victories in Oklahoma legislative elections, and in Maine Chris Johnson scored a big win in a state Senate contest. The Oklahoma House seat and the Maine Senate seat previously were held by Republicans. Michael Sargeant, Executive Director of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, issued the following statement regarding these victories. 

“These Democrats’ wins are huge triumphs not only for the residents of these districts, but also for Democrats across the country,” said Sargeant. “Adding two new seats to the Democratic column in two different regions of the country represents a concrete victory in the nationwide fight for working families, kids, and middle-class values.

“Voters are rebuking GOP candidates and policies all over the country,” Sargeant continued. “Republicans exploited their opportunities to legislate by forcing extreme policies through their statehouses, and as we’ve seen in states like Ohio and Wisconsin, voters aren’t standing for it. These Democratic victories are part of a broad and continuing rebuke of statehouse Republicans’ out-of-touch, anti-middle class agenda.” 

These wins are only the latest in a series of state legislative special elections in which Democrats have won or overperformed. As this trend persists, Republican state legislators across the country should consider themselves on notice: voters are repeatedly and thoroughly rejecting the brand of right-wing extremism the GOP is pushing in statehouses.