On Election Day, voters across the country sent a powerful message: our government derives its power from the consent of the governed. In a repudiation of the policies that have led to uncertainty around economic growth, inflation, healthcare, jobs, and our nation’s security, Americans voted for change and for leaders who will address the pressures facing working families.
These results mean more than a shift in political power. They show what collective action can accomplish. UFT members organized, knocked on doors, phone-banked, and spoke with their neighbors. We did not become cynics of our democracy and its institutions. We helped the electorate decide in favor of working families.
Now comes the harder work: turning electoral victories into lasting gains for all of us.
A Demand for a Different Direction
Across the country, voters challenged the status quo. Elected officials throughout the nation who had become distant to the needs of their constituents were replaced
Senate contests in Maine, Ohio, South Carolina, Iowa, Kansas, and Texas reflected that demand for change. Victories by James Talarico in Texas, Annie Andrews in South Carolina, Sherrod Brown in Ohio, Troy Jackson in Maine, and Adam Hamilton in Kansas mark significant breakthroughs for politics centered around families and their economic struggle. Even in Alaska and Mississippi, change appears to have won!
In the House of Representatives, Democrats are expected to gain at least 42 seats, putting them well beyond the 218 needed for a majority. Similarly, the desire for change resulted in Nevada, Texas, Iowa and Georgia flipping, while Alaska and Kansas are still undecided. In Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms’s victory carries particular historical significance; as she is the first Black woman to be elected governor in the United States.
These victories are well worth celebrating. But winning races is not the same as delivering change. The meaning of this election will ultimately be measured not only by who holds power, but by what they do with it.
In New York, We Did the Work
Here in the Empire State, voters returned Governor Kathy Hochul, Attorney General Letitia James, and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli to office. In competitive congressional races, Tom Suozzi held his seat in the 3rd District, while Cait Conley successfully unseated Mike Lawler in the 17th.
For educators and union members, these contests were never abstract partisan battles. Their outcomes affect our public schools, our collective bargaining rights, our retirement security, and the resources available to the communities we serve.
Across New York, NYSUT-endorsed candidates have been declared winners in at least 197 of 218 races, and at least ten NYSUT members were elected to public office. These results reflect our sustained organizing, not simply good fortune.
Within the UFT, UNITY Caucus members helped power that effort in all five boroughs. When asked about the strategy that led to local success, Unity Caucus Officer Washington Sanchez said, “In Queens, our focus was on making sure that the friends of labor, the friends of our public schools, and the candidates with the best ideas to help our youth, were voted in. We door knocked, we made calls, and seeing the results, we have tons of hope that things will get better.”
Unity Caucus First Vice Chair, Mike Sill remarked, “Members turned out, like they always do.”
He continued, “Everyone can talk about the blue tsunami, but that wave is made by people. People like UNITY members. They should rightly feel proud of the work they did on behalf of our UFT, NYSUT and AFT endorsed candidates.”
Zakkiyya Rock, a political stalwart in the caucus captured the spirit of the effort when she said, “Our strength comes from our members. When the Bronx shows up, people take notice. It doesn’t matter if it’s a beautiful Saturday in October. When the UFT needed volunteers for phone banking or canvassing across Westchester, the Bronx was ready.”
Another caucus member, Marquis Harrison, reiterated the spirit, “When we fight, we win! And we fought, and we won!”
He also reflected on lessons from previous elections and the importance of sustained labor organizing:
“We learned from the setbacks of two years ago, recognized where we fell short, and turned those lessons into action. These victories remind us that when labor organizes, mobilizes, and stands united, we make a difference. Let every elected official remember that our collective voice carries power and our values must be respected.”
In Staten Island, that commitment was evident in the efforts of both active members and retirees. Long time caucus member, Stuart Kaplan, attributed the success to Unity’s contributions to phone banking, canvassing, and get-out-the-vote efforts. “We saw record numbers of voters on Staten Island,” he said.
That is unionism in action: members using their collective strength to shape decisions that affect our classrooms, our workplaces, and our democracy.
But our responsibility does not end when the ballots are counted.
A Mandate to Deliver, Not a Blank Check
Working people need more than a change in party leadership. They need a change in their daily lives.
For our union siblings, affordability is not a campaign slogan. It is the rent or mortgage payment, the grocery bill, the cost of child care, and the question of whether a lifetime of work will lead to a secure retirement. For our students and their families, it is the stability that allows children to arrive at school ready to learn.
Candidates who campaigned on those concerns must now address them. That means defending public education from voucher schemes, protecting the right to organize and bargain collectively, investing in public services, and advancing policies that allow working families to thrive. It also means defending democratic values, not only at election time, but in the everyday exercise of power.
That being said, our support for elected officials is not unconditional. We endorsed candidates to advance our members’ interests and the public good, not to excuse inaction once they take office. With power comes responsibility.
The labor movement cannot afford to be an election-season operation that mobilizes in November and goes quiet afterward. The same organization that helps win an election must help shape what follows.
As unionists, we must bring members’ concerns directly to elected officials, press for concrete commitments, and report back on whether those commitments are kept. We must remain engaged in legislative fights, budget decisions, and the defense of our public schools.
The blue wave that we witnessed on Election Night was historic, but like every wave, it will recede unless we make our government work for the people.
Election Day created an opportunity. Whether that opportunity becomes lasting progress depends on what our elected leaders do next, and on whether we stay committed and organized enough to hold them accountable. We organized to help win these elections. Now we must organize to make those victories count where it matters most.
*After this went to press, NYSUT-endorsed candidates increased their wins from 197 to 199, and the Mississippi Senate race was called for Democratic candidate Scott Colom. He will be the first Black U.S. Senator to represent the state of Mississippi since Reconstruction.
