The blue tsunami was just a large wave in Florida. The GOP gave back all of its massive gains since 2018. The gerrymander was a total failure, and the state looks pink again, rather than crimson. The GOP might even have been saved by terrible weather in blue districts. Nevertheless, in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. The Republicans eked out victories in the most important races; with the loss of Texas, Florida is now the unquestioned capital of MAGA; and Ron DeSantis is perfectly placed to run for president, if he has the nerve to try again.
Chuck Schumer has taken a lot of criticism over the last two years for being too passive in the face of Trumpian outrages. In reality, he understood that the blue team didn’t have the practical ability to stop Trump, that the only remedy was to mobilize public support for 2026, and that the best tactic for the midterm was to get out of the way and let Trump self-immolate. It worked. In addition, Schumer did an excellent job of recruiting quality candidates. The blue team’s success owes a great deal to his strategic patience.