The much-touted "blue wave" came to fruition as Democrats won a stunning run of victories in both red and blue states.
asserted
Democrats → tout → states
They also came out ahead in key governor’s races.
asserted
They → come → races
The Fox News Voter Poll, a survey of more than 100,000 voters nationwide, highlights the central themes and demographic groups that defined these important races.
asserted
that → highlight → races
SOUTH CAROLINA
Democrat Annie Andrews won a close-run race against incumbent Republican Darline Graham to flip a Senate seat that had been in the hands of Graham’s brother Lindsey for more than 20 years.
asserted
that → win → years
Appointed to the seat after her brother’s death in July, Graham underperformed his electoral strength; he won re-election to the Senate in 2020 by 11 percentage points.
asserted
he → appoint → points
She also underperformed President Donald Trump’s strength among key groups from two years ago.
asserted
She → underperform → groups
Rural voters, for instance, backed Trump with 63% in 2024 – Graham this year garnered only 51%.
asserted
Graham → back → %
Former Vice President Kamala Harris received 36% of the rural vote in 2024; Andrews bested that by about 10 points.
asserted
Andrews → receive → points
Graham did manage to hang on to non-MAGA Republican voters, amid concerns that they would defect.
asserted
they → manage → concerns
But again, she got 70% of their vote, while Trump pulled in 79% two years ago.
asserted
Trump → get → %
Andrews ran away among these voters, getting about 7 in 10.
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Andrews → run → 10
Trump received 39%, while Graham managed less than 20%.
asserted
Graham → receive → %
Andrews did well with women, college graduates and urban voters.
asserted
Andrews → do → women
She also benefited from Democrats being more unified behind her than Republicans were for Graham.
asserted
Republicans → benefit → Graham
Almost all Democrats backed Andrews, while just about 8 in 10 Republicans voted for Graham.
asserted
Republicans → back → Graham
More than 10% of Republicans crossed party lines to support Andrews.
asserted
% → cross → Andrews
The economy was by far the top issue in the state, with more than four in 10 putting it in the top spot.
asserted
10 → put → spot
Andrews received the majority of those voters.
asserted
Andrews → receive → voters
Three-quarters said inflation caused their family hardship in the past year, and more than half are very concerned about the cost of gas, food, utilities and healthcare.
asserted
half → say → gas
And voters blame Trump for their economic woes: six in 10 say his policies have made things worse, and more than half blame him for inflation.
asserted
half → blame → inflation
Graham was also found lacking as far as having the right experience to serve as senator.
asserted
Graham → find → senator
More than six in 10 said she did not.
asserted
she → say → ?
OHIO
Democrat Sherrod Brown won back his seat in the Senate, flipping it into the "D" column.
asserted
Brown → win → column
He was ahead in the polls throughout the race and pulled off a win against Republican Jon Husted, who had been appointed to JD Vance's seat when he became vice president.
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he → pull → seat
Husted tried to play the "extreme" card on Brown, which didn’t quite play among an electorate that was familiar with him after serving three terms in the Senate.
asserted
that → try → Senate
More than half said he wasn’t.
asserted
he → say → ?
Brown did, on the other hand, wield the too-close-to-Trump card on Husted – and quite effectively at that, with close to six in 10 voters saying the Republican was too supportive of the president.
asserted
Republican → wield → president
The question of whether Democrats could regain working-class voters amid concerns over the economy and affordability was at the heart of this race.
uncertain
Democrats → regain → race
And it appears they did.
asserted
they → appear → ?
Husted struggled with working-class voters.
asserted
Husted → struggle → voters
Two years ago, Trump pulled in 61% of voters with no college degree – Husted got only half.
asserted
Husted → pull → half
Trump also dominated among rural voters two years ago, garnering 70%; Husted was about 11 percentage points below that.
Young voters:
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Husted → dominate → that
Trump pulled in 60% of voters under 30 in 2024; Husted, not even a quarter.
asserted
Trump → pull → 2024
Trump got 58% to Harris' 41% in 2024.
asserted
Trump → get → 2024
This time, three-quarters of them went for Brown.
asserted
quarters → go → Brown
Close to seven in 10 say the state of the economy is not good, eight in 10 say inflation has been a hardship for them, and six in 10
asserted
inflation → say → them
say Trump’s policies are to blame.
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policies → say → ?
Add that up, and Trump was no doubt a drag on Republican Husted.
asserted
Trump → add → Husted
Six in 10 also say that Trump prioritizes his own interests rather than the country’s.
asserted
Trump → say → country
In the end, it was a tough year to run as a Republican – even in a traditionally Republican state – when the party’s president is unpopular and people are worried about their finances.
asserted
people → run → finances
…and 85 more, not listed.
The Aporia
