| Although we didn’t get the result we wanted at the presidential level or in certain marquee races, Republicans will enter 2025 at the federal level with the smallest margins of victory in decades. And even at the presidential level, late counted ballots have further whittled down Donald Trump’s margin of victory in the popular vote to the tightest margin since 2000 – affirming that Trump’s election is far from a mandate.
As we reflect on the cycle and take stock of where we fell short, it’s equally important to assess what worked. Data shows that the work of the DNC and our partners was effective in beating back what could have been a larger red wave. In 2024, the DNC made strategic campaign grants in every state party for the first time in history, and delivered record-breaking investments directly to coordinated campaigns in every state – totaling over $264 million. The investments include direct expenditures to coordinated campaigns in states and are inclusive of state-party grant programs and tech & data resources. From data, tech, and cybersecurity to human resources and operations, the DNC methodically invested early in state party infrastructure. These investments yielded results and underscore the importance of continued state party investment so that Democrats can meaningfully engage voters locally and mobilize working people in the face of Trump’s extremism.
Following historic investments in the 2022 cycle, in 2024, the DNC implemented a true 57 state and territory strategy. During GOTV, the DNC also delivered on an IWillVote.com campaign that included voter registration programs in battleground states and districts, and targeted investments in communities of color – such as ensuring voters had the information they needed to vote in languages like Spanish, Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Tagalog, Korean, and Vietnamese.
As we look towards the future, continued investment in the central party apparatus is crucial to ensure that Democrats can organize and communicate the extremism of Trump’s second term to voters across the country. One thing is certain: Democrats are committed to fighting back against Donald Trump and his MAGA loyalists’ dangerous Project 2025 agenda, regaining Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, and electing Democrats up and down the ballot in the coming months and years who will advocate for working families and the rights of all Americans. 2024 proved we already have a robust foundation on which to build. Notable down-ballot wins in 2024 provide us with a roadmap on what works and where investments mattered most, while the success of statewide ballot measures to safeguard the rights and interests of working people this November shows voters are ready to take action in the face of the GOP’s extreme attacks on reproductive freedom, labor, and education.
Presidential
Although Democrats did not achieve what we set out to do, Trump wasn’t able to capture the support of more than 50% of the electorate and Democrats beat back global headwinds that could’ve turned this squeaker into a landslide. Among democracies that held elections in 2024, incumbent parties lost seats or vote share 80% of the time. In most of these countries, the margin for opposition party wins far exceeds that of the United States. Significantly, because of early investments and state infrastructure from the DNC, our sister committees, and our partners, Democrats were able to win down-ballot races that are often lost when an incumbent party loses the presidential election.
Key Stats:
As more votes continue to come in, Trump is now under 50% of the popular vote with his margin of victory ranking 44th out of 51 elections since 1824.
- This margin is smaller than Joe Biden’s victory in 2020 or Hillary Clinton’s popular vote victory in 2016.
- This is the narrowest margin for a Republican since 1968, excluding the two times Republicans lost the popular vote and won the Electoral College.
DNC Investments:
The DNC invested over $75 million in the South, $73 million in the Midwest, $65 million in the Northeast, and $48 million in the West to build and sustain infrastructure and deliver targeted investments into state parties across the countries – both in presidential battlegrounds and beyond. In addition to the direct funding in the states, the DNC also invested in technology infrastructure, including cybersecurity, paid media, and $25 million into sister committees that have also benefited Democrats across the country.
The DNC also hired voter protection and access staff ahead of the November general election to ensure any voting issues were resolved both quickly and fairly. The DNC’s voter protection hotline served all states across the country.
Federal
Senate
In the Senate, Democrats claimed victories in four states that Trump won – the first time in over a decade that Senate Democrats won multiple races in states carried by the opposite party’s presidential nominee. Battleground Democratic Senate candidates overperformed the top of the ticket by an average of 5 points.
Key Wins:
- In Arizona, Ruben Gallego defeated MAGA extremist and Trump acolyte Kari Lake.
- In Delaware, Lisa Blunt Rochester claimed a historic victory and will become the first woman senator and the first Black senator from the state.
- In Maryland, Angela Alsobrooks claimed a historic victory, becoming Maryland’s first Black woman senator.
- In Michigan, Senator-elect Elissa Slotkin defeated Trump-endorsed former Rep. Mike Rogers.
- In Nevada, Jacky Rosen retained her Senate seat, defeating Trump-backed Sam Brown.
- In New Jersey, Senator-elect Andy Kim defeated Republican Curtis Bashaw.
- In Wisconsin, Tammy Baldwin won her reelection campaign against Eric Hovde.
DNC Investments:
- Five-figures in ‘Get Out the Vote’ activities to support the Delaware Democratic Party in getting out the vote to ensure Lisa Blunt Rochester won the open Senate seat.
- Mid-six figures in Maryland to support the outreach of key constituencies like AAPI Marylanders, Black Marylanders, and more for the Angela Alsobrooks Senate campaign.
- Investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into New Jersey to support New Jersey Democrats’ party infrastructure and coordinated campaign efforts.
House of Representatives
Though Republicans secured a majority in the House, it is the smallest majority either party has claimed in nearly 100 years. The DNC’s investments made impacts in the competitive races that Democrats held or made gains in, including seats in California and New York that Democrats lost in 2022.
Key Wins:
- In Alabama, Shomari Figures will represent the state’s newly redrawn majority-Black district.
- In California’s 13th District, Democratic challenger Adam Gray was declared victorious over Republican incumbent John Duarte.
- In California, Dave Min successfully kept an open House seat blue.
- In California, a week after election night, two-term Republican incumbent Rep. Mike Garcia conceded to Democrat George Whitesides.
- In California’s 45th District, Democratic challenger Derek Tran unseated Republican Michelle Steel.
- In Delaware, voters made history after electing Sarah McBride, the first openly transgender person elected to Congress.
- In Louisiana, Cleo Fields will represent the state’s new majority-Black district.
- In Maine, Democrat Jared Golden maintained his seat and claimed victory in New England’s most competitive congressional race.
- In New York, John Mannion decisively flipped the state’s 22nd District, unseating Trump-endorsed Brandon Williams.
- In New York, Laura Gillen will represent the state’s 4th District after unseating Trump-backed Anthony D’Esposito.
- In New York, Democrat Josh Riley flipped the state’s 19th District after defeating MAGA Marc Molinaro.
- In North Carolina, first-term Democratic incumbent Don Davis kept North Carolina’s 1st District blue, winning the state’s most competitive congressional race.
- In Ohio, Democratic Representative Marcy Kaptur retained her seat, even as Trump carried her district at the presidential level.
- In Oregon, Janelle Bynum flipped her district blue and will become the first Black member of Congress from the state.
- In Virginia, Retired Army Lt. Col. Eugene Vindman won the state’s most competitive congressional race.
- In Washington state, Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez won a second term in a district that Trump carried.
DNC Investments:
- Providing more than $750k to California, funding GOTV efforts like VOTA – California Democrats’ Latino constituency outreach and organizing program – to support candidates in key congressional races.
- Providing more than $560k in funding to New Mexico, supporting the party’s organizing efforts to support the reelection of Rep. Gabe Vasquez and Democrats up and down the ballot across the state.
- Investing over $650k into New York to mobilize voters in key battleground Congressional districts, specifically targeting Puerto Rican voters in those districts.
- Investing over $2.5 million into Maine, supporting Rep. Jared Golden and funding rural organizing in the state.
- Investing more than $600k in Oregon, supporting the state party’s relational organizing program and defending two congressional seats while supporting efforts to flip Oregon’s 5th Congressional District blue.
- Investing more than $550k in Washington, including supporting Marie Gluesenkamp Perez’s race and the party’s AAPI and youth organizing efforts.
State and Local
State Legislature
Across the country, Democrats held the line and even made gains against Republicans in state legislative elections. In addition to breaking the North Carolina Republican legislative supermajority, holding the one-seat majority in the Pennsylvania House, and making critical gains in both chambers of the Wisconsin state legislature, late returns show Democrats made other impressive gains at the legislative level. For example, Democrats in Montana broke a 30-year record and gained enough seats to break the GOP supermajority.
Thanks to early strategic investments, the state and local political landscape looks very different from when Donald Trump first entered the White House. When Trump first won in 2016, Democrats held majorities in 29 state legislatures and claimed six Democratic governing trifectas. Entering 2025, Democrats have secured more than 40 state legislative majorities and 15 governing trifectas ready to take on Donald Trump’s anti-working family agenda in the states.
Key Wins:
- In Alaska, the statehouse flipped from Republican-led control to a coalition made up Democrats and Independents.
- In Arkansas, Democrats made gains in legislative seats for the first time in 20 years, crediting DNC investments.
- In Minnesota, Democrats maintained control of the state Senate.
- In Montana, Democrats broke the Republican supermajority in the legislature, gaining 10 seats in the Montana House of Representatives and two seats in the Montana state Senate.
- This is the most seats Democrats have gained in Montana in 30 years.
- In North Carolina, Democrats broke the Republican supermajority in the House and restored veto power for incoming Democratic Governor Josh Stein.
- In Oregon, Democrats are on the verge of winning supermajorities in both legislative chambers to legislate alongside Democratic Governor, Tina Kotek.
- In Pennsylvania, Democrats held their one seat advantage in the Pennsylvania House after successfully defending it five times in special elections in 2023 and 2024.
- In Wisconsin, Democrats made key gains in both the state Assembly and Senate.
DNC investments:
- The DNC provided more than $600k to Alaska, including funding the hiring of support staff, particularly to engage voters in rural areas.
- The DNC invested over $600k into Arkansas, including supporting the Democratic Party of Arkansas in youth, Black, and Latino voter engagement.
- During GOTV, the DNC invested to support the Minnesota DFL’s paid canvassing program to continue to meet voters where they are. In total, the DNC has invested $8 million into Minnesota this cycle.
- In Pennsylvania alone, the DNC invested nearly $50 million last cycle in direct investments and expenditures to state parties and the coordinated campaigns on the ground. This included investing six-figures on outreach to the Puerto Rican community in the state.
State Supreme Court
Democrats clinched important wins in State Supreme Court races – expanding the Democratic majority in Michigan and adding a Democratically endorsed justice to the Kentucky Supreme Court. In North Carolina, Democratic judge Allison Riggs in North Carolina claimed victory over her Republican challenger. These wins follow crucial judicial victories for Democrats in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania in 2023.
District Court
In Harris County, Texas, Democrat Nicole Perdue prevailed over Republican Michael Landrum by 774 votes in an open civil court judge race that was originally thought to have been won by Landrum on election night.
DNC Investments:
- Investing over $36 million this cycle in direct investments and expenditures to state parties and the coordinated campaigns on the ground in Michigan.
- Investing nearly $23 million last cycle in Wisconsin, including helping with organizing and GOTV efforts for the Wisconsin State Supreme Court race in 2023.
- Investing over $800k in Texas this cycle to help Democrats capture the energy of young voters for downballot races.
In the Key State of North Carolina
North Carolina is a prime example of the DNC’s early investments making a difference. The DNC supported North Carolina coordinated campaign staff in 2022. This cycle, the DNC invested nearly $30 million into the state and looked to define Trump-backed extremist Mark Robinson early, along with other Democratic allies and partners. The results were clear: In addition to breaking the Republican supermajority in the legislature, Democrats won statewide elections across the ballot.
Governor
- In North Carolina, Attorney General Josh Stein defeated Robinson in the open gubernatorial contest.
Lieutenant Governor
- In North Carolina, Democratic State Senator Rachel Hunt defeated Republican candidate Hal Weatherman, becoming the first Democrat to win a North Carolina Lieutenant Governor’s race since 2008.
Attorney General
- In North Carolina, Democratic Congressman Jeff Jackson won the Attorney General race against Republican Dan Bishop.
Secretary of State
- Democratic incumbent Secretary of State Elaine Marshall won reelection against Republican Chad Brown
Superintendent of Public Instruction
- Democratic candidate Mo Green defeated extremist Republican candidate Michele Morrow to win the North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction race.
Ballot Measures
Finally, in addition to electoral victories, the success of ballot measures that safeguard the rights of Americans demonstrate voters are taking action in the face of the GOP’s extreme attacks on reproductive freedom, labor, and education.
Reproductive Rights
From Arizona to Missouri to Maryland, the American people are voting for ballot initiatives to codify reproductive freedom and overturn the GOP’s cruel abortion bans.
- Colorado: Voters approved an amendment to the state’s constitution, recognizing the right to abortion and rolling back an amendment prohibiting state funding for abortion care.
- New York: Voters overwhelmingly approved an amendment to safeguard abortion access by making “pregnancy, pregnancy outcomes, and reproductive healthcare and autonomy” protected classes under the state constitution.
- Maryland: Voters approved an amendment to enshrine reproductive rights in the state constitution.
- Missouri: Voters overturned Republicans’ near-total abortion ban by approving a constitutional right to reproductive freedoms.
- Arizona: Voters passed a ballot measure to codify the fundamental right to abortion — a firm rejection of Republicans’ draconian abortion bans.
- Montana: Voters approved an initiative to codify the right to abortion access in the state’s constitution — two years after rejecting a referendum restricting reproductive health care.
- Nevada: Voters approved a measure that puts abortion access codification for final approval on the ballot in 2026.
- Florida: Coming up just short of the 60 percent threshold, a clear majority of voters support a proposed constitutional amendment to protect access to abortion by a double-digit margin.
Workers’ Rights
From Oregon to Nebraska, Americans are rejecting Republicans’ plans to undermine the rights of workers.
- Missouri: Voters passed a minimum wage increase to $15 per hour and enshrined guaranteed paid sick leave.
- Nebraska: Voters approved mandatory paid sick leave for workers.
- Oregon: Voters supported a measure that will create an easier path for workers within the cannabis industry to unionize.
Education
From Colorado to Kentucky, voters oppose the Project 2025 plan to defund public schools.
- Colorado: Voters rejected a right-wing ballot measure to defund public schools.
- Kentucky: Voters handed a right-wing anti-public school amendment a landslide defeat.
- Nebraska: Voters thwarted a right-wing law to attack public school funding.
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