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This month’s elections were very, very good for Democrats.
Fueled by economic uncertainty and frustration with federal politics, Democratic candidates won big in New Jersey, Virginia and New York City. Democratic voters elsewhere showed up in ballot initiatives as well as statehouse, municipal and utility regulator races.
What’s less clear is what, if anything, those wins mean for Indiana Democrats heading into next year.
Those who’ve spent any time on the campaign trail understand that seeing a wave and catching it are two different things. I can barely stand up on a surfboard, let alone navigate the swells, but I know it’s all about timing.
The government probably won’t be shut down a year from now, and we might be in a steadier place when it comes to tariffs and international trade, but it’s hard to predict what will happen with the AI bubble or housing prices or health insurance subsidies.
Recent national polling shows two-thirds of Americans believe the nation is on the wrong track, and Indiana polling shows more than half of Hoosiers think our state is on the wrong track. That trend is likely to benefit the party out of power if it holds through next November.
Of course, in order to win elections, you have to nominate electable candidates. More on that in a minute. The bigger challenge: According to Ballotpedia, 1,000 out of 1,595 regular elections in Indiana last November were uncontested. That’s 63%. While that tally includes everything from Governor down to school boards and county commissioners, it’s still staggering.
You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, and you lose 100% of the elections no one signs up for. If Indiana Democrats want to make gains next year, candidate recruitment should start yesterday.
When it comes to candidate ideology, there will be those who trumpet the election of Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani as New York City’s next mayor as a clarion call for Hoosier Democrats to move to the left. As centrist political organization The Third Way put it in their post-election analysis: “Turning blue places bluer is not the same as moving red and purple our way.”
Indiana isn’t New York City. We’re not flashy or trendy. We stick to our principles, we look out for each other, and we want what’s best for our state. It doesn’t take a Mensa member to figure out what issues are on Hoosiers’ minds right now.
In poll after poll, Hoosiers have said they are worried about taxes, health care, utility bills and inflation. Not culture war issues. Not things happening thousands of miles away. Kitchen table stuff that keeps people up at night running numbers and worrying about their future.
Which brings us to the last piece of the 2026 political puzzle: public policy.
With the Democratic brand damaged, candidates can’t just talk a good game. They have to convince voters they will lead by bringing quality ideas to the table. This can feel impossible if all you read are hot takes, but in smaller settings the thirst for solutions is real.
Building trust takes time, and next year may be the first opportunity in some time for Democratic candidates to harness palpable voter frustration by meeting voters where they are, listening to their concerns and presenting actionable policy solutions.•
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Chartier is a lifelong Indianapolis resident and owner of Mass Ave Public Relations. Send comments to [email protected].
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