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October 20, 2025 
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Next year’s midterms offer the biggest opportunity to constrain President Trump, and Democrats are understandably eager to find a winning strategy. The health of American democracy may depend on it.
With that in mind, the Times editorial board set out to understand what political strategies have won close races in recent years. We analyzed hundreds of elections and found a stark pattern: Running to the political center remains by far the most effective way to win.
We know that some of you may be skeptical. So we encourage you to read our latest editorial and weigh the evidence.
As we explain, all 17 Democrats who won races last year in places that Trump also won worked hard to signal moderation. By contrast, no current member of Congress or governor has run a truly progressive campaign and won in a swing district or state. That’s right: none.
To be clear, successful candidates don’t run to the center on every issue. Today’s moderates are often populist and combative — not sober technocrats. But they find ways to demonstrate their independence to voters fed up with both parties. If Democrats want to start winning again, they need to look at American politics as it is, not as they wish it were.
Read the editorial:
Here’s what we’re focusing on today:
