Welcome to the beat. I'm Ari Melbert. We're reporting on this string of Democratic wins that are

clearly upending politics today. The voters turned out and spoke really with one voice across

the country. They spoke out and voted against Trump's unpopular second term. Democrats reaching,

quote, the most important goal in politics, the New York Times reports today, showing they can win

and win big. Sometimes it is that simple. Democratic candidates won decisively, double-digit

victories in New Jersey and Virginia, where Dems flip the governor's mansion, propelling a new

young face in New York, showing momentum in pockets of purple and red areas, the kind of places

that will decide the midterms if past precedent holds. And those midterms are, as of this week now,

just one year away. So will these results shape what comes next? Will they bring a Democratic rejoinder

to the MAGA era one year from this week in the midterms?

And which results are about these Democratic candidates versus policy debates, which don't

depend on the person? Which results are about what is clearly a growing Trump backlash,

despite what you may have heard from some smug elites.

And what are the other dynamics that actually occurred last night, but could be harder to

replicate in the future? Let me tell you this. Right now tonight, over the course of this

hour, we will report for you and try to bring you the evidence, the numbers, the hard facts,

what actually is

happening to answer each of those questions on this special election postgame show tonight.

We are going to build on those breaking election results that we reported out across election

night with Michael Steele joining us shortly. He's standing by, be my first guest tonight in a few moments.

We begin right now, though, with a few words from the winners.

Seems fitting.

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